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Pelosi’s Rolling Impeachment: Republicans dismiss her tactic. But why would they assume she wants a trial?
Wall Street Journal ^ | December 26, 2019 | Kimberley A. Strassel

Posted on 12/26/2019 7:21:24 PM PST by karpov

Republicans dismiss Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s refusal to transmit the impeachment articles to the Senate as a weak stunt. They do so at the peril of both the Constitution and President Trump. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may be a master tactician, but Mrs. Pelosi is no slouch.

It’s now been more than a week since the House impeached Mr. Trump, and Mrs. Pelosi has yet to name impeachment managers or formally send over the paperwork. Democrats claim they are delaying in the name of “fairness,” withholding the articles until Mr. McConnell agrees to new witnesses and evidence in a Senate trial. Republicans are ridiculing the tactic, pointing out that Mrs. Pelosi has no authority to dictate the form of a Senate trial and no leverage over Mr. McConnell.

Both points are true but irrelevant. Republicans err in thinking Mrs. Pelosi’s goal is to craft a Senate trial to her liking—and even in presuming Mrs. Pelosi wants a trial at all.

How would it benefit Democrats for the Senate to conduct an efficient and solemn proceeding? The House inquiry was a farce, riddled with procedural gamesmanship and shifting definitions of “high crimes.” A serious Senate trial would only further highlight the weakness of the House case. It would also require Democratic presidential contenders including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar to abandon the stump and return to Washington for most of January, on the eve of the crucial Iowa caucuses—or else shirk their senatorial duty.

Mrs. Pelosi has understood from the start that the inevitable outcome was acquittal. There won’t be 20 Republican votes to remove Mr. Trump from office. So why hasten the president’s vindication?

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: house; impeach; impeachment; pelosi; senate
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I assume McConnell is working on rules for a trial or a motion to dismiss that 51 Republicans will go along with. If Pelosi and Schumer want this hanging over Trump's head, they should be thwarted.
1 posted on 12/26/2019 7:21:24 PM PST by karpov
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To: karpov

None of the Trump supporters give a sh*t what Nasty does. There’s nothing hanging over Trump’s head. She can take the articles, pull her head out of her anal orfice, deposit the articles, then put her head back so she can see through her plexiglass belly button.


2 posted on 12/26/2019 7:27:55 PM PST by Equine1952 ((You can die on your feet or live down on your knees. You can not do both. Freedom Is not Free))
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To: karpov

What happened in the House was a blatant exercise in naked abuse of political power.

Why anyone would question the Senate’s political response to a political maneuver is a mystery.


3 posted on 12/26/2019 7:28:26 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: karpov

If Pelozi submits the impeachment articles to the senate she loses.

If she doesn’t submit the articles to the senate she loses.

The only winning move in the “Impeach Trump” game is not to play.


4 posted on 12/26/2019 7:28:48 PM PST by TigersEye (MAGA - 16 more years! - KAG)
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To: karpov

There’s a court case about McGahn on Jan 3rd....It’s part of their obstruction case. I think they’re anticipating winning.


5 posted on 12/26/2019 7:29:06 PM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: karpov

Well they better be. Letting the rats get away with this impeachment with no acquittal BS is a huge mistake.


6 posted on 12/26/2019 7:29:33 PM PST by gibsonguy
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To: karpov
Which impeachment is Nancy doing now?

Schrödinger's Cat Impeachment: As Nancy refuses to hand over impeachment to the Senate, Trump might be both Impeached and Not Impeached at the same time.

Seinfeld Impeachment: An impeachment about NOTHING.

The ObamaCare Impeachment: The House passes the Articles of Impeachment first then they figure out what they did doesn't work and hands them off to Chief Justice Roberts to fix, at trial, in the Senate.

The Rorschach Test Impeachment: Throw ink against the hearing room wall and interpret it in any way you want. It can be treason to some, bribe to others, and a perfectly legal exercise of the Separation of Powers to others.

The 6th Sense Impeachment: Where the audience (the American people) finds out at the end, the Articles of Impeachment were dead the whole time.

The Wizard of Oz Impeachment: Nancy threatens impeachment of Trump (.....and his little dog, too!) for killing Witch Hillary in the 2016 election. Nancy sends out her flying monkeys, led by Schiff and Nadler, to do her dirty work. In the end, Nancy get doused with water in the next election and melts down.

The Einstein Insanity Impeachment: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

The Susan Rice Impeachment: Impeached because of an obscure YouTube video. Based on repetitive themes, it may become a remake of "Ground Hog Day".

The Caveman Impeachment: Representative Al Green ""I'm concerned that if we don't impeach this president, he will get reelected...." Impeachment so easy, a caveman can do it.

The Flaming Bags of Dog Poop Impeachment: Nancy sets fire to a flaming bag of dog poop at the front door of the Senate, but delays ringing the doorbell. This buys time for Schiff and Nadler to put together a second bag of flaming dog poop. Nancy sets up the second bag of dog poop at the back door of the Senate. Sooner or later, Nancy rings the front doorbell. Mitch stamps out the fire at the front door. Then Nancy rings the doorbell at the Senate's back door, forcing Mitch to track dog poop throughout the Senate. Mitch stamps out the second flaming bag of dog poop, getting his shoes even dirtier. (This seems to be the most accurate predicted plan for Impeachment.)

7 posted on 12/26/2019 7:29:57 PM PST by SERKIT ("Blazing Saddles" explains it all.......)
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To: karpov
Remember The Reverend Jackson and his "rolling hunger strikes" ?

48 people, each not eating for three hours. Was promoted as a "six day hunger strike."

8 posted on 12/26/2019 7:30:05 PM PST by Steely Tom ([Seth Rich] == [the Democrats' John Dean])
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To: karpov

I’ve been of the mind that withholding the Articles was Pelosi’s intention all along.

They recruited Tribe to throw it out there I the public as their way of giving Nancy some “Constitutional’ cover by a so-called scholar on the subject


9 posted on 12/26/2019 7:30:26 PM PST by digger48
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To: SERKIT

LOL Well done!


10 posted on 12/26/2019 7:32:53 PM PST by TigersEye (MAGA - 16 more years! - KAG)
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To: karpov

Imagine you are one of the 30 representatives from recently flipped congressional districts that are still hanging in the balance.

If she withholds the articles indefinitely you can try to say that Trump has not really been impeached and so my vote meant nothing, so vote for me. But their opponents can slam them for voting for impeachment.

If she withholds the articles until new articles are passed (assume party line vote again) you can try to say that Trump has not really been impeached and so my vote meant nothing either time, so vote for me. But their opponents can slam them for voting for impeachment (twice).

If she delivers the articles you can try to say that Trump has been impeached but my vote meant nothing either time since they would have passed with or without my vote, so vote for me. But their opponents can slam them for voting for impeachment (once or twice as the case may be).


11 posted on 12/26/2019 7:34:20 PM PST by 17th Miss Regt
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To: SERKIT

Nice.


12 posted on 12/26/2019 7:36:09 PM PST by kiryandil (Chris Wallace: Because someone has to drive the Clown Car)
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To: SERKIT

13 posted on 12/26/2019 7:40:50 PM PST by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: karpov
I'm beginning to wonder if Pelosi and McConnell have some sort of understanding/unspoken agreement to let the impeachment sink into limbo and wither away there.

Pelosi: I'm not submitting it till you tell me you'll do X.

McConnell: I'm not doing X till you submit it.

Both: I'm cooperating, it's him/her (points).

Months go by. People eventually stop talking about it. Like a movie that's "in development" until everyone forgets about it.

14 posted on 12/26/2019 7:43:00 PM PST by A_perfect_lady (The greatest wealth is to live content with little. -Plato)
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To: SERKIT

That is brilliant, and a keeper!


15 posted on 12/26/2019 7:45:25 PM PST by Fido969 (In!)
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To: karpov
I finally get that impeachment managers are the Dem prosecutors for the Senate trial.

If the House sends over the prosecutors, then there should be no leagal reason for POTUS Trump to be denied his own witnesses.

16 posted on 12/26/2019 7:45:32 PM PST by Deaf Smith (When a Texan takes his chances, chances will be taken that's fore sure)
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To: TigersEye

You are quite right.

It appears to be a lose-lose situation for Pelosi.

Couldn’t happen to a nicer harridan.


17 posted on 12/26/2019 7:47:10 PM PST by Maris Crane
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To: Fiddlstix

How about the a republicans not having 51 votes? Hold off on sending articles over until the Democrats can beat the Republicans. It’s only a matter of time before the republican caucus folds and Schumer wins. They already got Collins and Murkowski. Only need two more.


18 posted on 12/26/2019 7:48:21 PM PST by EQAndyBuzz (When you think about what the left is doing to America, think no further than Cloward-Piven)
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To: karpov
...but why would they assume she wants a trial?

So you have to ask the opposite question, "Why would she NOT want a trial?

Because it's weak, it's suppositional, it's not proven! More directly, it's false, it's entirely made up, it's PARODY, it's LIES.

When you can't prove your case, you don't go to court - you try it in the media. That's Ambulance Chasing 101, freshman law school.

And that's exactly what Pelosi is doing, hoping the other side will cave from public pressure. If she really thought she had a case, she wouldn't be doing any of this.

19 posted on 12/26/2019 7:50:36 PM PST by ZOOKER (Until further notice the /s is implied...)
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To: karpov

I’m not hearing anything about Pelosi obstructing the _House_.
The vote was held & passed.
Nancy is obstructing the will of the House majority.
Surely at least one House member would have the wherewithal to submit a bill demanding removal of her Speakership role, if not expelled from the House outright.


20 posted on 12/26/2019 7:50:48 PM PST by ctdonath2 (Democrats oppose democracy.)
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