Ilhan Omar to introduce articles of impeachment

Thomas Veil

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Details from that NYT article...

Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, has told associates that 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 on Wednesday to formally charge Mr. Trump with inciting violence against the country.

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

As more violent images emerged on Tuesday from the mayhem wrought by the rioters, including of the brutal attack that ultimately killed a Capitol Police officer, and as lawmakers were briefed about threats of more attacks on the Capitol, rank-and-file Republican lawmakers grew angrier about the president’s role in the violence.

Yet as they attempted to balance the affection their core voters have for Mr. Trump with the now-undeniable political and constitutional threat he posed, Republican congressional leaders who have loyally backed the president for four years were still stepping delicately. Their refusal to demand the president’s resignation and quiet plotting about how to address his conduct highlighted the gnawing uncertainty that they and many other Republicans have about whether they would pay more of a political price for abandoning him or for continuing to enable him after he incited a mob to storm the seat of government.

Making their task more difficult, Mr. Trump has shown no trace of contrition, telling reporters on Tuesday that his remarks to supporters had been “totally appropriate,” and that it was the specter of his impeachment that was “causing tremendous anger.”

Mr. McConnell, Republican of Kentucky, has indicated that 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 from the weakened lame duck, whom he blames for causing Republicans to lose the Senate.


On Monday, Mr. Biden telephoned Mr. McConnell to ask whether it was possible to set up a dual track that would allow the Senate to confirm Mr. Biden’s cabinet nominees and hold a Senate trial at the same time, according to officials briefed on the conversation who disclosed it on condition of anonymity. Far from avoiding the topic of impeaching Mr. Trump, Mr. McConnell said it was a question for the Senate parliamentarian, and promised Mr. Biden a quick answer.

David Popp, a spokesman for Mr. McConnell, declined to comment, pointing a reporter to a speech the senator made from the floor after the attack on the Capitol.

“This failed attempt to obstruct the Congress, this failed insurrection, only underscores how crucial the task before us is for our Republic,” Mr. McConnell said as the Senate reconvened on Wednesday to finish the electoral count disrupted by the siege. “Our nation was founded precisely so that the free choice of the American people is what shapes our self-government and determines the destiny of our nation.”

In the days since the attack, Mr. McCarthy has veered from asking Republican colleagues if he should call on Mr. Trump to resign to privately floating impeachment to his current posture, opposed to impeachment but open to a censure. He even approached Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the majority leader, about a censure vote, saying he could deliver a large number of Republican votes for a formal rebuke if Democrats backed off impeachment.
 

Chew Toy McCoy

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Heard an interesting conundrum take for the Democrats on the impeachment. They’re going to push it but kind of hope the Republicans block it because it will put them on the wrong side of history and allow Trump to continue with his death blows to the Republican party. Sounds like Mitch might also be thinking about this because if they show any sizable support for Trump then the party will be Trump’s bitch for the foreseeable future. But of course maybe he doesn’t mind being the party of lunatics, liars, and (white) criminals if he thinks that’s a winning ticket. I don’t think he’s that dumb though and is ready to pull down the diapers on Trump’s remaining loyalists and spank their ass black and blue.
 

Scepticalscribe

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@lizkat & @Thomas Veil: To you both, my grateful thanks for the article.

I do seem to recall thinking (at the time) that Mitch McConnell's horror at what was happening last Wednesday was quite genuine (even if exceptionally belated, and blithely, and blissfuly, blind as to his actual role in enabling the conditions which allowed this to take place).
 
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Thomas Veil

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CNN confirms what you’re saying may very well be the case.
A source familiar with the relationship between the two men told CNN that McConnell is furious with Trump. The source said McConnell "hates" Trump for what he did last week following the attacks on the Capitol that left at least five people dead including a Capitol Hill police officer.

Note that McConnell is not firmly committing to anything, but the fact that he’s seriously considering it...
 

lizkat

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@lizkat & @Thomas Veil: To you both, my grateful thanks for the article.

I do seem to recall that Mitch McConnell's horror at what was happening last Wednesday was quite genuine (even if exceptionally belated, and blithely, and blissfuly, blind as to his actual role in enabling the conditions which allowed this to take place).

McConnell is a world class cynic but has had his moments when he has put country before party... and certainly moments when he has put the establishment piece of the party before the Tea Party and the House Freedom Caucus, although that tended to be before they became less the rump and more the bread and butter of the voting base. But Trump is trying to burn everything down now and that's a bridge way too far for McConnell.
 
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SuperMatt

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This is politically calculated. Trump’s popularity took a dive because of this violence. He will be out of power shortly and all his megaphones have been taken away. The Georgia run-off never would have gone to the Democrats without Trump telling people to stay home and turning other people off and agitating Democrats to vote against him. As long as he was popular, they proved time and again they didn’t care what he did. They still don’t care. They are despicable. Kill the filibuster and ram through the progressive policies this country needs!
 

Scepticalscribe

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This is politically calculated. Trump’s popularity took a dive because of this violence. He will be out of power shortly and all his megaphones have been taken away. The Georgia run-off never would have gone to the Democrats without Trump telling people to stay home and turning other people off and agitating Democrats to vote against him. As long as he was popular, they proved time and again they didn’t care what he did. They still don’t care. They are despicable. Kill the filibuster and ram through the progressive policies this country needs!

Let’s also not forget that the donation money faucet getting turned off would have been a factor here too,
Agreed, but this is something that is always a matter of consuming interest for idle, enquiring minds:

For we have asked ourselves these questions: Where are the red lines? Your incompetent, corrupt, cynical, entitled children employed in your administration? George Floyd? Institutional racism and sexism? Threatening election officials while demanding that they "find" eleven thousand votes? Children in cages? Stratospheric death rates from Covid?

And, no, alas and alack, it is what it always was: Hurting wallets.......
 
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lizkat

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I’ve always wondered what Trump was holding over the entire Party.

I'm starting to wonder what this Congressman Taylor has on his person that caused him not to want to pass through metal detectors on the way into vote on the (futile) resolution to request Pence to 25A Trump.

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1349159510791884800/

Some background about this

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1349105421194289153/

 

SuperMatt

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I'm starting to wonder what this Congressman Taylor has on his person that caused him not to want to pass through metal detectors on the way into vote on the (futile) resolution to request Pence to 25A Trump.

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1349159510791884800/
F these people. Officers DIED to protect their butts against a riot THEY incited, and now they are doing stuff like this to officers that are probably suppressing PTSD to keep their jobs? I say keep ‘em out if they won’t be searched... period.
 

lizkat

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It's baffling, isn't it? Sounds like they're ready to drop him like third period French now.


Weird convo with a friend from downstate today.

She was appalled by the scenes she saw on TV a week ago and said yeah they should impeach him. I suggested calling her congressman and saying so because not all his constituents may agree, and so she should ensure that her own voice is heard.

She said she wasn't sure she wanted to get all that involved.

Wow. It's only a question of whether we want to normalize attacks on sitting governments by a rogue president inciting citizens to go commit violence to prevent a lawful transition of power.

I looked up her district and it's blue so I'm not going to hammer on her about it but I am disappointed and also surprised!
 
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I'm starting to wonder what this Congressman Taylor has on his person that caused him not to want to pass through metal detectors on the way into vote on the (futile) resolution to request Pence to 25A Trump.

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1349159510791884800/

Some background about this

https://www.twitter.com/i/web/status/1349105421194289153/

The guy has spine issues.
 

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@lizkat & @Thomas Veil: To you both, my grateful thanks for the article.

I do seem to recall thinking (at the time) that Mitch McConnell's horror at what was happening last Wednesday was quite genuine (even if exceptionally belated, and blithely, and blissfuly, blind as to his actual role in enabling the conditions which allowed this to take place).
I have heard criticism of Pelosi on Twitter that she reacts mostly to short term not long term priorities. If you assume the same applies to McConnell a lot of his behaviour around impeachment makes more sense.
 
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Listening to the impeachment deliberations. Republicans are so full of shit, it's insane.
They couldn't clear house, stand up and fucking concede, but not it's Democrat's duty to allow healing?!
Trump shouldn't be impeached because we should heal after 2 months of deliberate, systematic and persistent inflammation of the base about a """stolen""" election to which a significant proportion of the GOP assisted actively and their majority did not express concerns about.

We shouldn't impeach someone so haphazardly but also the GOP isn't willing to use alternative avenues to control Trump that is in their power?!

I can't even express my annoyance.
 

Huntn

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Just listened to Rep Tom Cole (R) Oklahoma make a process argument against impeachment, don’t rush it, and not enough time, saying that it would further the division. At this point, with a rogue, lying, out of control Republican Party, I’d ask him if he has eyes and ears in his head. This last unacceptable heinous over the top move by a desperate wanna-be despot to undermine the 2020 election just can’t be ignored and he continues to be a threat. With the mindset of the GOP breaking bad, breaking every rule they can get away with, undermining our democratic process, there will be no healing period until they get their heads on straight, or start to wholesale lose elections.

Of interest there are some strong anti-Trump statements coming out of the GOP but I imagine this as a fringe move not a broad movement. I was encouraged to hear Mitch McConnell say something like he’d be pleased, but who knows how serious and honest, versus a calculated statement this is. Liz Cheney who has never liked Trump has hammered him verbally.
 
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Republicans screaming "Put the People first!" and "Democrats! Unite the country!"

Wow. Nancy Mace (SC Republican), with the first coherent speech on the R side. Holy shit. I don't know what's more shocking, the coherence or that I'm shocked to hear coherence.
 
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