Posted on 01/27/2021 7:38:04 AM PST by SeekAndFind
With the chances of the Senate actually convicting former President Trump in the upcoming impeachment trial, Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Susan Collins (R-INO) are quietly pitching their colleagues on a bipartisan resolution to censure Trump, according to Axios.
The Senators are 'looking for a way to condemn Trump on the record' as it's become abundantly clear that Democrats don't have the 17 GOP crossover votes required to gain a conviction for Trump's second impeachment. That said, Axios says that some Democrats are only interested in censure if at least 10 GOP Senators will publicly commit to it - which would accomplish the 60-vote margin required to pass major legislation in the chamber.
It isn't clear whether the censure would come after a trial, or be in lieu of it.
More via Axios:
Driving the news: Kaine (D-Va.) and Collins (R-Maine) have been interested in a censure resolution for weeks now and have discussed it on multiple occasions.
- But the bipartisan discussions among senators grew more earnest after 45 Republicans voted today in favor of a motion to dismiss the trial because Trump is now out of office.
- The vote was a clear indication he won't be convicted.
Between the lines: In some ways, a censure vote could be more difficult for Republicans, because they can't rely on the argument that a resolution is unconstitutional — like they are for an impeachment conviction.
- It would also be a history-making vote. No other president has been censured after leaving office.
What they're saying: "I think it's pretty obvious from the vote today, that it is extraordinarily unlikely that the president will be convicted. Just do the math," Collins told reporters Tuesday afternoon.
- Kaine has said he wants to do whatever possible to keep the focus on the Biden-Harris agenda and COVID-19 relief, so he supports a speedy trial or alternate way to hold Trump accountable.
* * *
Earlier Tuesday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) excoriated Democrats over the impeachment effort against Trump for allegedly inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, despite the fact that he told his supports to come, and leave, peacefully while protesting the results of the 2020 election.
"Democrats are about to drag our great country down into the gutter of rancor and vitriol the likes of which has never been seen in our nation’s history," said Paul, adding "It’s almost as if they have no ability to exist except in opposition to Donald Trump"
Sen. @RandPaul:
"Democrats are about to drag our great country down into the gutter of rancor and vitriol the likes of which has never been seen in our nation’s history... It’s almost as if they have no ability to exist except in opposition to Donald Trump." pic.twitter.com/kiCimV0GIX — Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 26, 2021
The pubs will win the trial. 45 again at even having it.
Why should they agree to this?
This is a desperate trial balloon being sent up by the left.
Anti-Trump senators go to D.C. to become chair warmers like they don’t have anything else to do.
The pubs will win the trial. 45 against even having it.
Why should they agree to this?
This is a desperate trial balloon being sent up by the left.
Are 21st century “conservatives” nationalist or globalist? Which is it?
I hope Nationalists. Globalists do not generally fit the United States. The Military Industrial Complex has infected Washington and has pushed Globalism. George W. Bush was a Globalist. Never Trumpers are Globalists in general.
At this point, Trump’s lawyers should demand a full trial and drag it on for months.
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I just want to see the ‘baseless’ election fraud on full display for all to see and have their noses rubbed into it until they are raw.
On a separate note, does that jackass Kaine really wear his mask like that? Masks might be useless but that really ensures that they are useless and stupid....
The GOP is already there, with its infrastructure. That is why we need to take it over. Recent polls indicate that a Trump friendly party would garner 25% of the vote without any effort at all. That is a very good starting point (and it is more than the globalist never Trumpers.)
The GOP would rather help the Democrat win than let go of their party. They have done it many times before they cooperated with the Big Steal.
” Recent polls indicate that a Trump friendly party would garner 25% of the vote without any effort at all”
Which means Trump is the Kingmaker. Anytime they want to cross him, he pulls 25% of their vote out from under their feet.
Be nice to have a counter group on the Rat side destabilizing them. Mad Bernie would fill that role well. Need to convince him of the goodness of such a thing. The Bernie Bots! Take their Coalition of the Fringes and destroy it by breaking the bonds. Main intent: get someone to talk about the fraud organization, who actually runs it. Then completely disrupt it.
Bill of Attainder
Query: If Trump is “tried,” and there is no conviction to remove him from office, is that a legal admission and concession by Congress he is actually still the President and he can then demand his office back? Asking for a friend.
You weren’t hired to waste another 3 years chasing after something that never happened. Get back to solving our problems, not yours of getting re-elected.
It certainly would be. They’re too dumb and hate-crazed to realize this though.
This is a CYA move by Collins. When she’s up for re-election she wants to be able to say she only voted for censure. If the trial goes ahead and she votes to convict there are going to be a lot of unhappy Trump supporters in Maine.
No. There is no wording of censure in the constitution for a sitting or former President.
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