Discussion: Will McGahn's No-Show Tip Dems Towards Impeachment?

As many on the thread pointed out, the fatal flaw in the argument is the assumptions that the Republicans can be shamed into doing the right thing.

He asserts that once the Democrats have filled out all the right paperwork and waited long enough, judges will look Republicans in the eye and say. “I order you to comply.” In any other era, this would be the end of the story. I’m afraid that Barr will continue to jut out his multiple chins and just say no.

Then what? Despite everyone’s faith in CJ Roberts’ concern about his legacy, I don’t trust any of them anymore.

4 Likes

Personally, I would have started with the hired help… Subpoenas for Hope Hicks and McGahn’s chief of staff.

1 Like

People (seemingly) want the ‘hanging’ now.

1 Like

I haven’t seen much for that. More that people want there to be formal impeachment hearings, or something substantive that moves the bar along.

Mainly fed by the frustration at being blocked at every turn so far, that they won’t even let anyone show up or turn over a single sheet of paper, and there’s nothing that anyone can do about it except wait and pray that Roberts does the correct thing.

2 Likes

But he can make that same argument if they don’t impeach. He’ll just say if Democrats had anything they would impeach so their refusal to file impeachment charges shows they have nothing and he is innocent. At least with a Senate acquittal you can go after Republican Senators for being political hacks who put party over country.

2 Likes

well, in the Andrew Johnson impeachment, Congress passed a resolution saying that it intended to impeach Johnson, and then appointed a select committee (of 7 Republicans only – Johnson was a Democrat) to draft the articles themselves.

So maybe in that sense “an impeachment vote” should come first! :smile:

I’ll take this one Tierney.
No.

Young, old, middle-aged hotheads, if I were a member of the House, I would let Pelosi take the lead until such time as I saw really compelling evidence that impeachment at this stage would not come back to bite the Dems. I trust her instincts at this stage. Until things change, a bill of impeachment would land with a thud in McConnell’s house of horrors.

Exactly. Seize the power and take it away from the Senate. Control the timing of the hearings, the content, the messaging, and keep it just out of reach of the turtle. Nothing would stymie him more than that.

The Dems need to quit acting like the hapless victims of evil and turn the story around. More blathering and tweeting and sending letters makes zero impression on the majority of the electorate. THAT is the most effective way of depressing Dem turnout in 2020.

4 Likes

That’s a fair point. Also, to be honest, I do see a consensus building and that the will to impeach is greater today than it was last week or the week before. I think that’s important because if I’m feeling this afraid despite having a probably much better understanding of politics than most Americans, I’m sure I’ve got plenty of company.

8 Likes

THIS.

The administration has succeeded in providing a dozen distractions a day to avoid the nexus of our dangerous situation: we were attacked. trump did nothing - in fact, he welcomed it and will allow us to be attacked again.

Every Democrat should be saying this every day. Every time a Republicans tries to invoke national security, this should be the rejoinder. Every time a Republican tries to dismiss the entire Mueller report, this should be the rejoinder. Every American needs to be reminded of this every day. It’s not going away. It’s only getting worse.

Without a unifying message, Democrats will lose this battle, the most important battle of our lives. This is an area where they don’t have to be precise, they don’t have to write formal letters, or cross T’s and dot I’s, they don’t have to wait for a judge to rule anything. It’s immediate and it’s clear. Pound home the message.

Some of the Dems, like Schiff and Swalwell, are pretty good at working it into just about every interview, but the rest of them, even when they’re doing good investigative work, seem unfocused and bureaucratic. The clock is ticking, Dems.

3 Likes

Shit, I forgot Chris Matthews helping get Bush elected. Hillary was Nurse Racheted. Today, he’s a fan of Hillary.
But then Jack Welch, GE CEO, hired him and gave him his marching orders.

1 Like

Pelosi has already said if impeachment is started, it will inflame Trump’s base, which will help him in 2020.

dotard’s base is already jacked; they aren’t going anywhere and will absolutely turn out to vote regardless. it’s the fucking democrats and independents who won’t show up unless there is reason for them to show up. and writing letters to the file is not it. hold the goddamn hearings; call as witnesses everyone mueller interviewed and get a fucking cohesive message together to explain to the halfwits who aren’t paying attention something they can easily understand.

3 Likes

An impeachment inquiry does what? Will it lay out for the public the case against Donald J Trump? Unless Americans understand what is at stake this just seems like theater.

F Yes.

Democrats should focus on the crime and the criminal in this case, which is Don McGahn. If they lock this conservative jackass and Russian whore up without notice, he will come to his senses. Throw the book at the motherf**ker. This is creating moral hazard and destroying any credibility that Congress has.

2 Likes

You’re right, just do nothing.

And demonstrate to all who can see that the Democratic Party won’t wield power to defend the Constitution, even when they’re given a historic win and mandate to rein-in a criminal president to do just that.

Weak.

2 Likes

No need for an apology, I’m well aware I am a 61 year old white woman of privilege, with college degree and a CPA. I could pass anywhere, anytime I choose. Which gives me a level of protection denied to you. I choose not to pass, as I refuse to be a liar, and I will not degrade myself, my spouse and our 26 year marriage by pretending she’s anything but the love of my life.

Your post was just the perfect place to remind people that many of us are affected, it’s getting worse, not better, and hiding and hoping they won’t get to “me” isn’t a viable solution to our problems with diversity in this country.

I, too, fear anything that can be spun as vindication.

1 Like

It’s not democrats who need to “tip to impeachment”…it’s republicans. Because 67 senators are needed to convict in Senate trial.
End of story
drop the mike.
And the only way that will happen is to find something trump has done that is absolutely so unforgivable that the entire party would self immolate if it isn’t dealt with harshly. The act must be so unbelievably awful so as to turn the stomach of the most hardened trumper.
I suspect the GOP would forgive complete betrayal of our national secrets to Russia. Grilling and consumption of a fetus at a WH lawn party would not do it. After all throwing children in cages barely registered.
The GOP doesn’t give a fuck what trump has done or may do.

2 Likes

You’ve got plenty of company, :slight_smile:

1 Like
Comments are now Members-Only
Join the discussion Free options available