Impeach and Withold: How the House can keep their leverage

[ehrnst]

Last edited Tue Dec 17, 2019, 01:19 PM - Edit history (1)

Senate Republicans have said they intend to violate their impeachment-trial oaths. The House shouldn’t let them

It is beginning to dawn on Democrats that the moment they send articles of impeachment for Donald Trump to the Senate, they will have lost all of their leverage.

So they shouldn’t do it.

At least not yet, especially in light of the recent comments by Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham.

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The House should put maximum pressure on the Senate to fulfill its oath, especially the vulnerable senators who might hold the balance of power.

The key here is that there is no requirement that the House immediately send the articles of impeachment to the Senate. This is Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s final card to play.

So here is a modest proposal: the House should (1) vote to impeach on Wednesday, and (2) withhold sending any articles which pass to the Senate unless and until a majority of senators commit to holding an open and fair trial in accordance with the Constitution.

Speaker Pelosi could highlight Trump’s continued cover up and obstruction, while also noting that his abuse of power is a crime in progress.

https://thebulwark.com/impeach-and-withhold/

Of course, if she does, there will be cries of "she's protecting Trump!" and "What the hell is she waiting for?" from at least one segment of the left.

[Merlot]

1. Democrats need to think outside the box

[LenaBaby61]

6. Democrats need to think outside the box.

Since I've been reading up on Impeachment, and have been reading what Lawrence Tribe/John Dean's take/strategy would be in it in this case, slow-walking the Impeachment of Individual #1 makes perfect sense, especially since we always KNEW that the tRumputinthuglicans plan to make a mockery of justice by not even trying to fake having a trial per treasonous MoscowMitch and Leningrad Lindsey. We also know that fat ass wants to have a grand show trial, something along the lines of a Monty Python Sketch

MUCH more credible & damaging evidence is bound to come out against fat ass and his co-harts is the longer his show trial goes, so why not just wait FOR it to come tumbling out Eric Swalwell said that if the chance presents itself and if credible evidence exists, more articles of Impeachment CAN be added into those on the record charged to the orange, fat, projecting, insane, racist, ignorant, treasonous, insane clown installed in the White House.

I'm patient. I'll wait ...

[ehrnst]

7. I think Pelosi's been using her experience and smarts to do exactly that.

Presenting the "I have been forced into impeachment by this situation" argument to diffuse accusations that she was planning it from day one is one example.

Stating that "he's not worth impeaching" early on, when people expected Democrats to be trying to impeach on day one...

[lagomorph777]

2. Keep investigating until November; there are plenty of crimes yet to be uncovered.

Vote to impeach each time another one pops up.

Let Moscow Mitch mutter and whine all he wants.

[ehrnst]

8. The investigation on the Ukranian call and congressional obstruction is over.

What is left is for the House to vote, then for Pelosi to pass it to the Senate.

[lagomorph777]

12. Considering that Ghouliani has just repeated the crime again, I have to disagree.

And there are many other crimes, both related and unrelated, remaining.

For example, human rights violations (e.g. throwing babies in cages and letting them die).

[cilla4progress]

3. I'm sensing something like this

is the plan.

It will not end even after acquittal in the Senate, should that happen.

So far, Dems have played this quite well strategically. I expect that to continue.

[Guilded Lilly]

4. Here's hoping the Democrats withhold. And continue to pile up charges.

[lastlib]

5. Here's how I think I would play it:

If House holds back on both articles, McTurdle will scream about how we're playing politics (nothing stops him from flinging poo anyway, but...) So, I think we should consider sending up just the obstruction of Congress article; the Senate can take it up or wait on it as they wish. Hold back on the abuse of power article, and tell MoscowMitch it requires further investigation. Give MoscowMitch & ShitGibbon a "ransom" demand: give us the witnesses/documents, and we'll give you the article for trial. No deal on anything less. The American people, basic fairness, and indeed, history itself, demands their factual testimony under oath. The GOPhers can either STFU and give in, or the ShitGibbon has this article hanging over his ugly head thru the campaign, maybe beyond. If more facts come out meantime, we could add them to the charges, and make this really ugly for him.

I think this could be a winning strategy. What says everyone?

[ehrnst]

9. If she does that, she will be vilified for "protecting Trump" by the far left.

Wait for it.

[GeorgeGist]

10. IF nothing else, I hope the Democrats ...

use the impeachment process to convict the Republicans in the court of public opinion.

[lettucebe]

11. How much would said "commitments" be worth?

I'd say the majority don't keep their word, so this doesn't seem like a great plan -- I'd rather see them simply not hand it off. Period. That won't happen, obviously. With the "we must move now" messaging there doesn't seem a good way to then hold off on the final phase. I feel good that Pelosi will do whatever is best for the country -- she has so far, no reason to start doubting her now.