Hawley expects McConnell's final impeachment resolution to give White House defense ability to motion to dismiss

The Hill ^ | 1/18/20 | Marty Johnson

[bert]

The fallacy of your post is that it doesn’t matter. Like the House of Representatives, the media is removed from the process. All the blather is hot air. There is no public input to sway the Senate

All that matters now is the actual action by the Senate.

Some others here have knee jerk reaction to beat up on leader McConnell but he is not acting alone nor dictatorially. While he is in fact the leader, he will present a way forward developed to assure passage

Absent conviction, what ever the Senate does will result in massive wailing and lamentation and gnashing of teeth by loser progressives

[billyboy15]

“They have the ability to decide what they broadcast. They have repeatedly demonstrated they will gladly manufacture fraudulent “news”. That’s not nothing.”

So what? I say again, what good has it done them so far? Answer, none at all. Trust in the media is an all time low so they are only preaching to the choir at this point. Trump is more popular with voters now than Obama was at this same point in his first term. Of course we all know the unending adoration heaped on the Kenyan fraud during his entire 8 yrs as a leader from behind.

Once again I ask, why would media attacks be more effective this time around as you and others seem to think?

[wastoute]

I guess I am not being very eloquent. I think we both would like to see Trump be given the opportunity to force the Brown Shirt Media to let him have “his day”. A couple days of wall to wall Trump Lawyers educating the public on the misdeeds of #FusionCollusion and shampeachment would be nice and I think a lot of freepers seem to think that is coming. What I have been saying is I don’t think Mitch will let Trump do that, essentially run a Trump Rally in the Senate. I expect Mitch to bore the world for a few weeks and have a vote to acquit and that will be that. Nothing will change. The media will continue to pretend #FusionCollusion is just a right wing nut job conspiracy. AG Barr will continue to improve at the bagpipe. More hair on fire over manufactured outrage.

[Henchster]

Let’s say the defense immediately moves for dismissal based on hearsay evidence and no actual criminal charges.

With the Senate acting as jury, and John Roberts serving as judge, wouldn’t it be Roberts who rules on whether the charges should be dismissed? Couldn’t he just say the Senate-speak equivalent of “Case dismissed, court adjourned?”

[bert]

that is a feasible way forward

[wastoute]

Pretty much the only way from my perspective. All this talk about Hunter is crazy talk. I suspect there are too many GOP Senators with some chicanery themselves to allow a Mutually Assured Destruction Event to take place.

[wastoute]

...and think about it. Trump doesn’t need Hunter to show up. The damage is done. Having Hunter actually appear on a TV screen isn’t going to add much IMHO.

[wastoute]

...and think about it. Trump doesn’t need Hunter to show up. The damage is done. Having Hunter actually appear on a TV screen isn’t going to add much IMHO.

[wastoute]

Damn. I must be getting Parkinson’s. That’s the second time in two days.

[bert]

Hunter will appear in a different venue. Hunter will eventually need to appear to defend against charges backed by evidence provided by the government of Ukraine

There is no evidence to convict in the USA. That is the point of the exercise in Ukraine

[lodi90]

Sure looks like the Deep State fix is in...and led by the weasel, Cocaine Mitch.

There is absolutely NO Constitutional basis for the charges and SHOULD be dismissed immediately.

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Exactly. Send the garbage back to the House and immediately start hearings to uncover the facts surrounding this coupist op.

[iontheball]

Its about standing for the Constitution and due process. Bogus articles that cite no violation of civil or legal code. The Senate needs to make an example of the Democrats treachery.
_____________________________
There are obviously strong differing views on the tactics to take in this important matter. We are all entitled to express those views. My view is that there are few lawyers, even ones who are certain their client is innocent, would willingly subject their client to the costs and risks associated with a full blown trial, just to embarrass or shame the prosecutors and their case. Perhaps the strongest argument for granting a motion to dismiss is that someone needs to send a strong message to the radical left, who may well keep drumming up phony charges ad nauseam, that more of these theatrics will not be tolerated and will be dead on arrival in the Senate. The only reason a motion to dismiss would be granted is if the articles are Constitutionally fatally defective. That comes as close to declaring the entire House proceedings a nullity as you can get at this point.

[wastoute]

What I am saying is that the damage Hunter does to Joe is done. It can get a bit worse but the first bit is what hurts the most and now anybody who has been paying any attention knows who Hunter is. So there really isn’t much more to be squeezed out of Hunter. Pelosi’s kid maybe another story. But then Schumer would want Elaine Chao and the MAD missiles start to fly.

[Jim Noble]

we are at a point where the SCOTUS needs to reinforce the clear language of Article II sec 4 to NEGATE the Houses’s foolish impeachment

OMG Liz - you are almost never wrong, but you're wrong about this.

Your proposal would repeat the Bush v. Gore disaster, maybe the largest power grab by one branch over another in our history.

If you understand "shall not be infringed" (and I'm sure you do), you have to also understand "shall have the SOLE power to try all impeachments".

SCOTUS cannot try an impeachment. Period.

[billyboy15]

It hardly matters if Trump gets to have his say in the Senate trial since the media will badly distort what he says or else won’t report it at all. Besides he can get it out to the public at his heavily attended rallies and through ever more dependable outlets such as OANN.

Every ones mind is made up on this nonsense impeachment with most believing it is nothing but a political hit job.

I’m not opposed to the president having his day to shred the loony liberals but I wouldn’t feel bad if it never happened.

[Liz]

I should have made my point clearer.......the USSC steps in AFTER Trump is acquitted by the Senate......and only then.

[wastoute]

This all reminds me of something in my life from long ago. When I used to live about a mile from the Miraflores lock in Panama. When I first heard they will let you just drive up and watch a ship lock through I was really excited and couldn’t wait until I had some time off to go and watch this miracle of engineering in action. I was amazed you could just drive up and they even had benches right there just feet from the lock itself, no fence or anything. I was beside myself, what luck a ship had just started to lock through.

It takes almost half an hour. In subsequent years we would have company come and the first thing everyone wanted to do was go see a ship lock through. Everybody was always as excited as I was the first time. I would quietly to myself look at my watch as their butt hit the bench. I never saw anyone last more than 5 minutes. Not once. It’s the most boring thing in the damn world. Grass growing is more exciting.

Unless I miss my guess Mitch is gonna make locking through Miraflores seem downright exciting compared to impeachment.

[lodi90]

What I am saying is that the damage Hunter does to Joe is done.

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Exactly. Recall all the things far worse than Ukrainian kick backs that Hillary did and that did not knock her out.

I don’t it matters too much who is the Dem candidate. The 2020 vote is basically Trump vs. Not Trump. Although, Biden may pick up some low info elderly voters in places like PA and some black votes out of loyalty to Obama.

[glennaro]

Unfortunately, for all the Democrat/Left senators and too many of the Republican senators, their positions on this “impeachment” is strictly a political calculation ... the Constitution and their duty to defend our Republic is but a small component, if any at all, of their analysis.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Hawley is the one who wrote the resolution and Mitch went on as a co-sponsor. Now they want us to believe Hawley will vote against his own resolution? Doubtful.