General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIf House impeached, will McConnell be forced to hold a vote on it?
Republicans forced to claim their place in history.
We probably have one Democratic Senator in a difficult position with that vote, but no more.
Put it in history. The shame of Lindsay and others for having voted to impeach Clinton over his personal sexual behavior but voting to keep an obstructing traitor (and cager of kids) in office. Make murkowski and Collins take a stand.
uponit7771
(90,347 posts)If the House votes to impeach then the Senate must hold a trial.
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)in Nov 2020 elections and I say, sure. Every democrat can run on attacking their republican counterparts for sheilding a corrupt president. This will bring out way more democratic votes as we have new voters made every day compared to GOP, who's base is dying off everyday and is not being restored
FM123
(10,053 posts)https://www.lawfareblog.com/can-senate-decline-try-impeachment-case
lostnfound
(16,184 posts)He has his own election coming up. Wonder which is more advantageous to Mitch?
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)lostnfound
(16,184 posts)Maybe
Historic NY
(37,451 posts)if they didn't take up a trial. The House should call every one of his staff members mentioned in Mueller. We all know the stable genius would always want to get the last word in....by the Senate not taking it up give him no rebuttal, in his mouthpiece McConnell
onenote
(42,715 posts)Bauer's speculation is just that -- speculation.
Whether the Chief Justice, who presides over the impeachment trial, would allow a motion to dismiss before any evidence is presented, is an interesting question as is the question of whether there would be sufficient votes to pass such a motion. In the Clinton impeachment, a motion to dismiss certain articles was entertained, but only after the House Managers had presented their opening arguments followed by the defense's rebuttal arguments. After the motions to dismiss were defeated, the trial proceeded with the hearing of witness testimony (videotaped, not live) and closing arguments.
qazplm135
(7,447 posts)Yes, the next day
I have no doubt McConnell will change those rules the moment impeachment looks probable.
onenote
(42,715 posts)And while there is a backdoor way of changing them with a bare majority, I doubt McConnell could muster a majority to change rules that are virtually set in stone.
qazplm135
(7,447 posts)I don't doubt McConnell could do that at all. I think any Republican that did not agree to that would be targeted in primaries.
Now, maybe we'd luck out and the most vulnerable republican senators wouldn't be up in 2020, but I think ultimately, McConnell would find a way to change the rules to slow walk this thing. Republicans would be able to get behind that so long as he didn't completely kill it.
Miles Archer
(18,837 posts)McConnell can't be "forced" to hold a vote.
If the House goes down that road. McConnell WILL pay attention to what's being done, and then he'll weigh the blowback for Republicans in 2020, including his own re-election bid, and if he thinks he can get away with refusing a vote, you can take that to the frigging bank.
Privately, I can guarantee that McConnell knows Trump is amoral swine and unfit to lead.
But focus on one thing as my answer to your question.
Ryan got his tax cuts, and McConnell got his judges.
As long as McConnell thinks he can keep that train running, he won't give a damn about anything else.
The major accomplishment of the House pursuing impeachment is that it would get information into the hands of 2020 voters. It won't sway the base...Trump is already using it, before it even happens, to "energize his base." So it becomes a matter of Democratic voter turnout and the degree to which it will sway the "undecideds."
In terms of the Senate, unless something miraculous happens and McConnell feels it will jeopardize his own self-interests, there will be no Senate vote. Period.
onenote
(42,715 posts)The Chief Justice presides over impeachment trials in the Senate. And based on past performance, I doubt Roberts will be so overtly partisan as to completely tank the process.
standingtall
(2,785 posts)Seems to me if that happens the houses impeachment would be the last standing verdict on this going into the election.
Azathoth
(4,610 posts)I doubt even McConnell would try to block a Senate trial on some weird theory that the constitution doesn't explicitly "force" them to do it. That would almost certainly precipitate a constitutional crisis.