Breaking Big: Senator Mitch McConnell is said to believe President Trump committed impeachable offe

[MelissaB]

Breaking News: Senator Mitch McConnell is said to believe President Trump committed impeachable offenses, and to be pleased Democrats are moving to impeach him.

Link to tweet

McConnell is said to be pleased about impeachment, believing it will make it easier to purge Trump from the Republican Party.

Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, has told associates he believes President Trump committed impeachable offenses and that he is pleased that Democrats are moving to impeach him, believing that it will make it easier to purge him from the party, according to people familiar with his thinking. The House is voting Wednesday to formally charge Mr. Trump with inciting violence against the country.

At the same time, Representative Kevin McCarthy, the minority leader and one of Mr. Trump’s most steadfast allies in Congress, has asked other Republicans whether he ought to call on Mr. Trump to resign in the aftermath of last week’s riot at the Capitol, according to three Republican officials briefed on the conversations.

While Mr. McCarthy has said he is personally opposed to impeachment, he and other party leaders have decided not to formally lobby Republicans to vote “no,” and an aide to Mr. McCarthy said he was open to a measure censuring Mr. Trump for his conduct. In private, Mr. McCarthy reached out to a leading House Democrat to see if the chamber would be willing to pursue a censure vote, though Speaker Nancy Pelosi has ruled it out.

Taken together, the stances of Congress’s two top Republicans — neither of whom has said publicly that Mr. Trump should resign or be impeached — reflected the politically fraught and fast-moving nature of the crisis that the party faces in the wake of last week’s assault by a pro-Trump mob during a session to formalize President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s electoral victory.

More: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/12/us/mcconnell-impeachment-trump-mc.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur

[grumpyduck]

1. Well, let's see how long he waffles on it.

[BusyBeingBest]

9. Yeah, he'll send a spokesman out to deny it, so that leaves doubt in either direction--

always self-serving, McTurtle.

[lisa58]

2. So call the senate back and remove the MFer

[Walleye]

5. Yes, is he going to do that, no then STFU

[lisa58]

10. 👍 and Kevin McCarthy needs to tell his caucus to vote for impeachment

[Vivienne235729]

31. Yep, let's see if he actually walks the walk or if it is all talk.

[lisa58]

34. We shall see

[Walleye]

3. Maybe this is the thing that unifies us. Survival instinct

[Turbineguy]

4. Sure and with 9 days to go, why not?

Trump has been committing impeachable acts for 4 years.

[TxDemChem]

54. Exactly

[LovingA2andMI]

6. Oh...

It only took a Insurrection to get the Turtle to this point, huh?

[alwaysinasnit]

22. Well, I would add that when the corporate $$$$ spigot started to close, Moscow Mitch had an

epiphany.

[SergeStorms]

26. This.

That had more to do with it than anything else.

[The_REAL_Ecumenist]

67. I think that it was the closing off the money stream AND the fact that little Donnie McDollHands

sent his mouthbreathing, knuckledragging lunatics to MURDER them all...but I'm just sayin'. I mean, what do I know.

[StarfishSaver]

7. And yet ...

[DBoon]

8. "is said to believe"?

By whom? On what basis? Even if we had an attribution from a credible source, this is still a very weak statement.

[Srkdqltr]

11. He really is a piece of s***. He turns on anyone and everyone.

I'm glad he thinks that. But don't trust him. Not for a minute.
He has shown he will knife either side.

[Qutzupalotl]

12. But not pleased enough to move up consideration of the article

before Trump's term ends. What a coward.

[marybourg]

13. Impeachment or sect. 3; 14 Amend. ( about which I'm still learning)

Screw censure.

[BeyondGeography]

14. They can finish him off if they have the guts

I hate the bastard with all my might, but if this is true Mitch is thinking like a leader.

[William Seger]

65. Mitch doesn't have the guts; that's why he's leaving it to Schumer

[bdamomma]

15. Seems

like the turtle is getting his revenge on tRump, after tRump threw his chances of being Majority Leader after the Georgia win.

They are eating their own.

[MelissaB]

16. Another snip...

Mr. McConnell, Republican of Kentucky has indicated he wants to see the specific article of impeachment that the House is set to approve on Wednesday, which is expected to draw support from as many as a dozen Republicans, potentially including Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the party’s No. 3 in the House. But he has made clear in private discussions that he believes now is the moment to move on the weakened lame duck, whom he blames for Republicans losing the Senate.

[central scrutinizer]

33. "Move on the weakened lame duck"

Now, there’s a real act of courage.

[MelissaB]

35. At this point, I'll take it.

[central scrutinizer]

41. As long as impeachment moves forward to votes

If Drumpf resigns due to the walls closing in, I can see the Republicans saying drop impeachment and let’s get to work on the nation’s business. We can’t have them take over the narrative and try to sweep their complicity under the rug. Get them on the record by forcing a vote.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

17. Turtle Man serves a purpose. nt

[Volaris]

53. His own power. As always.

But for what it's worth, I'll take it today.

[yonder]

18. Sen. Mitch McConnell? The SML? From Kentucky, USA?

That McConnell?

Holy Shit, are they issuing spines in the Senate now?

[onetexan]

19. The Hill: Schumer calls on McConnell to let Trump impeachment trial start immediately

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/533861-schumer-calls-on-mcconnell-to-allow-trump-impeachment-trial-immediately

"Schumer calls on McConnell to let Trump impeachment trial start immediately
© Getty Images
Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) on Tuesday called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to reconvene the chamber immediately to allow an impeachment trial of President Trump before Inauguration Day.

Schumer disputed McConnell’s claim laid out in a memo circulated to colleagues Friday asserting it would take all 100 senators to agree to allow business to proceed on the Senate floor before senators are scheduled to return on Jan. 19. Under McConnell’s interpretation, a second Trump impeachment trial in the Senate could not begin until 1 p.m. on Jan. 20, about an hour after President-elect Joe Biden is slated to be sworn into office.

“Leader McConnell is saying you can’t call the Senate back after the House votes for impeachment because it requires unanimous consent — the consent of every senator. That’s not true,” Schumer said at a televised press conference in New York.

ADVERTISEMENT
Schumer argued that legislation passed in 2004 allows the leaders of both parties to reconvene the Senate at any time.

“There was legislation passed in 2004 that allows the Senate minority and majority leader to jointly reconvene the Senate in times of emergency. This is a time of emergency,” Schumer said.

“I’ve asked him to call the Senate back — all he needs is my agreement. I’m still minority leader,” Schumer said.

The Democratic leader called on the Senate to “come back ASAP and vote to convict Donald Trump and get him out of office now before any further damage is done.”

The House is expected to pass an article of impeachment on Wednesday."


I hope they can work something out quickly.

[orleans]

39. i'm watching that presser with schumer on cspan now

people need to know that the senate can be called back NOW
this is an EMERGENCY

(mcconnell is such as asshole--always dodging the tough work)

[Wednesdays]

20. They're reading the polls

Nothing more.

[JonLP24]

29. I also think it hit too close to home

That is probably a big reason why there is bipartisan support especially this close to January 20.

[Fiendish Thingy]

21. This is the GOP's chance to rid the party of Trumpism, try and get their big donors back

Mitch sees the writing on the wall, the GOP is crumbling before his eyes...

[LeftInTX]

27. Absolutely

[sprinkleeninow]

45. Always working an angle. But whatever it takes to get it accomplished.

[kysrsoze]

23. I said right after the election, they'll turn on him once he's no longer useful to them.

McTurtle never gave a shit about him, and obviously hates him. The knives are out.

[SergeStorms]

24. He was impeachable the first time....

but you wouldn't even allow evidence and witnesses to be presented before you and your Republican sheep voted NO. Screw you, Mitch. We laid everything out in front of you and you laughed. We told you over and over what Trump was, but you wanted your precious judges. Fuck off Mitch!

[srose58089]

61. The turtle has fallen on his back and can't get up

Mitch is still the slime in the slime bucket.

[Catherine Vincent]

25. Nope. I don't believe it. nt

[helpisontheway]

28. He can go to hell..if he cared he would have a trial now..not after Trump leaves. Nt

[cbdo2007]

30. Great - just tell us what you will vote you slimy weasel turtle!

[moondust]

32. To save his own ass.

He sees all these companies, the PGA, Belichek, etc., dumping Dump and now he's dumping Dump to try to save what's left of the corrupt mob he leads.

[DFW]

36. I'm sure he believes it

I’m just as sure he still believes any Republican ought to get away with it.

[occupant]

37. Hes a liar!

Nope, don't trust that pig to do the right thing.He lies , lies, lies all the time.

[MelissaB]

38. CNN confirms this reporting.

Sources confirm that McConnell has indicated that this impeachment effort will help rid Trump/Trumpism from the party. But McConnell has not said if he will vote to convict. McConnell pins the blame squarely on Trump for failure in GA and costing them Senate. They haven’t spoken.

Link to tweet

[Catherine Vincent]

40. Does he want raving lunatics to mob him at airports?

[Bernardo de La Paz]

48. Looking like handily passing the 50 vote margin to prevent tRump from ever holding office. . . nt

[volstork]

42. Probably only because

he sees some sort of angle he can play to benefit him and the criminals he works for....

[CoryTrevor]

43. See? Unity!

[bringthePaine]

44. fuck 'em both - entirely complicit - you can bet they both withheld vital info and support

[Mr. Ected]

46. Would NOW be a good time to remind McConnell that he had a chance to do this in early 2020

And he refused to even hear evidence.

All this could have been avoided. We would have had a completely different approach to COVID. Mitch has got blood on his hands, a lot of it. Damn the GOP. They are opportunistic MF'ers that absolutely lack a soul.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

47. I'm beginning to think now that there will be Three (3) parties on the right

1) Real conservatives like Lincoln Project conservatives who are willing to work with Democrats.

2) Rotting Elephant Carcass Party remnants of the Greed Over People party.

3) MAGA Q God Emperor of the US party.

[Cha]

49. Mitch's Revenge.. Well trump Did..

& would have been shocked that mitch agrees.

But I read he is"Pissed & Never speaking to the Treasonous asshole Again".

[tandem5]

50. Nothing shocking -- he just wants political cover and credit for the words

without any sort of meaningful action or follow-through.

[Borderer]

51. He believed it was impeachable last time too

Whatever he is he isn't stupid.

If he is "pleased" about impeachment this time its only because he has taken the attack on his own life personally. Or possibly because he sees a cynical partisan benefit in it as a means of taking up Senate time in the incoming administration which might otherwise be devoted to undoing his nefarious life's work.

[NoMoreRepugs]

52. McTurtle saw corporate money drying up and is hitting

the panic button IMO.

[dansolo]

55. I'm sure he wants Trump to go away

He got his tax cuts and judges. Trump is no longer useful, and has already gotten in the way of Mitch remaining as Majority Leader.

[liberalmuse]

56. Zero trust in anyone with an "R" after their name.

Say it publicly, Mitch. Better yet, take action! I'm sick of all this third hand "private concern" we keep hearing about from the GOP camp just to make themselves appear to be anything more than a soulless bunch of charlatans who would sell their country for a nickel. I've never witnessed a more spineless bunch in all my years.

[dchill]

57. Trying to avoid complicity, Mitch?

Too late.

[Nasruddin]

58. Looks like Goldwater Gambit?

In '74 Goldwater & some Republican leadership went to the Whitehouse & told Nixon he was going to be impeached & convicted.

It looks to me like some Republican leadership is trying to do this, with notorious slow-learner Mr Trump.

Impeachment is a forgone conclusion with the House, but the Senate, well... If McConnell wants him out, Mr Trump is probably gone. But the cost would be fatal to many senatorial careers, let alone reps. Resigning would solve most of the immediate problems and leave the door open for Mr Trump to run another day.

I don't see him taking the offer but ....

[Aussie105]

59. Uncle Mitch says:

Yeah, Trump was an experiment in getting the GOP a sock puppet as POTUS, but it all went wrong.
People caught on.
Experiment failed.
Now let's clean up this mess - impeachment will do it.
Once that is done, we can try to find a more suitable candidate for 2024 to get us that end game goal - GOP in power, in perpetuity!

In short, Mitch isn't an uncle you can trust.

[paleotn]

60. Sounds like he and McCarthy are cutting bait on poopy pants.

[LiberalLovinLug]

62. He doesn't want Trump to be able to run again, and probably win.

[SunSeeker]

63. Then why is he blocking fast-tracking it?

[BobTheSubgenius]

64. Whether he said this, or whether he didn't...

...I'll believe it if it's still operative when the rubber hits the road.

[dlk]

66. McConnell is completely untrustworthy

He’s as treacherous as they come.

[bucolic_frolic]

68. Don't be fooled, he's only trying to blunt the progressive agenda

by getting out in front of it in some way. Mitch is nothing if he's not a realist.