They’re searching for some sort of leverage, because the charges need to be presented as vividly as possible
Democrats seek leverage for trial
Senate Democrats are quietly talking about asking Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to hold articles of impeachment in the House until Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) agrees to a fair rules package for a Senate trial.
Democratic senators are concerned by talk among Senate Republicans of holding a speedy trial without witnesses, which would set up a shorter time frame than when the Senate considered President Clinton’s 1999 impeachment.
They want to hear from Trump’s advisers and worry that if they don’t use their leverage now, they’ll have little say over how a Senate trial is run.
“If we don’t agree on a set of rules before the articles arrive over here, I think we’re cooked. I think McConnell has his people totally in line. It will be a procedural thing,†said one concerned Democratic senator.
Hmm, Schiff and Nadler have been ultra-shady with their procedure, did not require the so-called whistleblower, who never witnessed the call, to testify, hid the names of so-called witnesses, most of whom had no firsthand knowledge of the call, prior to having them testify, and limited questions the GOP could ask. And now they want to demand the way the Senate runs their process?
They should be careful what they wish for, less McConnell call Adam Schiff, Jerry Nadler, and other Democrats to testify as to their motives. I’m not quite sure what leverage they think they have, and holding the articles just makes this look ultra political.
University of North Carolina law professor Michael Gerhardt, an impeachment specialist, and Frank Bowman, the author of “High Crimes and Misdemeanors: A History of Impeachment for the Age of Trump,†also attended.
The legal experts told Democrats they have a strong case against Trump but that they must present their charges as vividly as possible.
In other words, they have nothing, so, they have to put on theater.
If Pelosi holds onto the articles of impeachment, some Democrats hope it will put more pressure on McConnell to negotiate the trial rules with Schumer.
Yeah, and McConnell said he’d look to pass a partisan package of rules, so, that’s not much leverage saying they’ll hold on to the articles. Democrats should be careful, lest McConnell decide to investigate exactly why Trump was interested in finding out what happened in Ukraine regarding Burisma, and whether Joe Biden used his position as Vice President to get his kid a job, threatening to withhold aid. He admitted it. Really, Democrats are afraid that American voters are going to interfere in the 2020 election.
Read: Democrats Might Hold Impeachment Articles Till McConnell Agrees To Their Rules Or Something »