A day after the House voted to formally outline the impeachment inquiry process, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) says she expects public hearings related to the impeachment inquiry to begin this month.
The Democrats should follow the leads wherever they go. I know there is pressure to get this done quickly so it doesn’t spill over into the election, but I think it’s important that they get as complete of a record as possible, especially documents critical to the case (like the full transcript instead of the White House summary of the July 25th call). Everyone should be called in, even if it’s to have them sit there and refuse to cooperate…that alone will be telling.
Americans are behind the investigation, we need to have it and see where it leads, and build the strongest case possible. When the Republicans in the Senate ignore the case and have their show trial instead, it will be a clear demonstration of the difference between the parties, and harm the Republicans even more than they already are.
New rule for the impeachment hearings: Akin to how the Brits fly the royal standard wherever the Queen is in residence, can the giant Trump man-baby balloon be moored to the top of the Capital Dome whenever Fat Nixon or any of his henchmen are testifying?
The Speaker has set the tone for all Democrats to follow. She doesn’t gloat or trash-talk. She speaks not out of anger, but disappointment. She is the anti-Trump in so many ways. It must infuriate him not to be able to get a rise out of her.
She’s not going to say Trump is getting impeached, as she shouldn’t, but I will. Trump is getting impeached.
And this will make Moscow Mitch cry. He wanted to have this all wrapped up before Christmas. Sorry, the House will decide when to send Articles of Impeachment, not the Senate. The hearings alone should make Watergate look like a parking offense.
I think the public nature of the investigation going forward is going to be absolutely riveting to the public and put immense pressure on Trump and on Congressional Republicans trying desperately to hold the line. I believe we’ll see poll numbers continue to worsen for Trump.
I can’t see how a public airing of his immense load of dirty laundry can help him in any way. It’s all downhill for him.
The most generous reason I can think of for why every Republican voted “Nay” yesterday -
I do believe that there are Republicans who are uncomfortable with Trump or even hate him and want to see public impeachment hearings, but these same Republicans also knew that the resolution would pass without their vote. So in their minds, why cause problems with their Trump-loving constituents prematurely?
I’m trying to give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe it’s a fool’s errand.
Yes, lets start getting some faces and voices on TV telling what Trump did. Just don’t declare that this is the end of it. Keep pushing for documents and from testimony from folks like Kupperman and hopefully Trump’s taxes. You need as iron-clad case as possible. Another several months of hearings, documents coming out will further drive down Trump’s poll numbers.
Gotta get him to below 35%, that is where Moscow Mitch sees the risk of standing with Trump exceed the risk of dumping him.
The truth is that there might not be an election in 2020 if Trump isn’t removed before then.
All the Russians have to do is tamper with the election such that it’s obvious the results are invalid. That will immediately create a situation in which the public is dependent upon the government to react to an unprecedented crisis, and neither Trump nor anyone in the GOP will be in any kind of hurry to either shut down the avenues by which we were attacked or hold new elections. And neither Trump nor anyone in the GOP will lift a figure to secure the election beforehand.
One way or another, Trump will still be in the Oval past 2020 unless he is forcibly removed.
The truth is that Trump is like smallpox. Nobody is really safe until he’s been exterminated.
I’ll bet you a bag of donuts she slows this down so it gets to the senate AFTER the primaries begin. Imagine the press having to question Senators running for president with an impeachment trail going on in the background. The media intensity will be far greater than any distraction a tantrum Trump could manufacture while he is being tried for impeachment.
My bet is article of Impeachment are voted on a few weeks before Super Tuesday primaries. Which makes it highlighted news and boxes GOP senators in to having no choice but to back trump no matter what evidence is put out there. Otherwise the GOP will have no one on the ticket in all 50 states.
Impeached; Yes.
Convicted and Removed from Office: No.
The Republican Senators know that Trump is hugely popular (just not as popular as in 2016) among the voters they absolutely need to remain in the Senate, so, unless Moscow Mitch has a stroke and inexplicably makes the Vote for Conviction a SECRET BALLOT, Trump will not be convicted.
I predict a 50-45 vote to convict with at least 5 abstentions/“Present” votes. Since you MUST have at least 67 votes to Convict, it falls far short of that requirement.
Now, if somehow we could have a SECRET BALLOT, then Trump would be convicted 69-31 for sure, but, Moscow Mitch will make sure that does not happen. It is after all his only job.
Trump will NOT however see a bump in his approval ratings after the Trial though. I predict he will fall to about 30% approval DURING the Trial, and stay there afterwards.
His revenge upon the country for being Impeached however will be swift and viscous.
Despite being in a re-election race, I predict he will go absolutely ape-shit after the Trial and do the following;
Withdrawn the US from NATO after demanding that Turkey be kicked out and failing at the demand.
WiIthdraw the US from the Open Skies Treaty and the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.
CLOSE the border with Mexico.
Threaten a shooting war with Iran at the behest of Saudi Arabia, but not do it because of threats from Russia and China.
Demand the head of Nancy Pelosi, resulting in at least 2 attempts on her life from his zealots.