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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is threatening to delay delivering articles of impeachment to the Senate, citing concerns about an unfair trial on removing President Donald Trump from office.
“So far we haven’t seen anything that looks fair to us,” Pelosi told reporters at a news conference just moments after the House charged Trump with abuse of power and obstructing congressional investigations. “That would’ve been our intention, but we’ll see what happens over there.”
Politico reported Thursday morning that Senior Democratic aides said the House was unlikely to take the steps necessary to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate until at least January.
The White House expressed outrage at the move. “House Democrats have run a fatally flawed process with fake facts, and now they want to deny the President his day in court with another procedural maneuver that proves anew they have no case,” said Eric Ueland, Trump’s top congressional liaison to Congress.
From Politico:
Though the House adopted two articles of impeachment charging Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of congressional investigations, it must pass a second resolution formally naming impeachment managers to present the case in the Senate. That second vehicle triggers the official transmission of articles to the Senate.
By delaying passage of that resolution, Pelosi and top Democrats retain control of the articles and hope to put pressure on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to adopt trial procedures they consider bipartisan.
McConnell has boasted that he has closely coordinated the planning of the trial with the White House and has repeatedly predicted Trump would be acquitted. He’s also suggested Democrats shouldn’t be allowed to call new witnesses as they attempt to present their case.
Meanwhile, The New York Post labeled House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the “Swamp mistress” on its Thursday post-impeachment cover that says the decision will backfire for Democrats in 2020. It is accompanied by an opinion piece by Michael Goodwin that labels Trump’s impeachment a “stomach-turning charade” that “damages America.”
WIBC host Tony Katz has audio highlights from Capitol Hill following Wednesday’s impeachment vote and commentary in today’s Popcorn Moment.
