Democrats accused of getting impeachment 'cold feet' over reluctance to lock in Senate trial
The Democrats have been accused of getting "cold feet" about impeaching Donald Trump as an expert points to big holes in their strategy to convict him.
Megan Palin@megan_palin
news.com.auDecember 20, 20199:48am
Donald Trump impeached by US House of Representatives
Donald Trump has become the third US President to be impeached by the House of Representatives.
US President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he departs the White House in Washington, D.C, on January 14, 2019. Picture: Jim Watson/AFP.Source:AFP
The Democrats have been accused of getting "cold feet" over impeaching Donald Trump as questions mount about the timing and scope of an anticipated Senate trial regarding his conduct toward Ukraine.
On Wednesday night, the US House of Representatives voted on two articles of impeachment, in connection with Mr Trump's July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Both passed with support from only Democratic members in the majority and one independent. It was expected a Senate trial would then be announced for January.
But after Mr Trump's impeachment, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would hold off on handing over the articles – allowing the case to be scheduled – until the Senate outlines the process it plans to follow for the impeachment trial.
"The next thing for us will be when we see the process that is set forth in the Senate," Ms Pelosi told reporters on Thursday.
Ms Pelosi emphasised that there needs to be a "fair process," although she declined to go into detail. Her comments came one day after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declared he wouldn't be "an impartial juror".
"This is a political process," Mr McConnell said. "There is not anything judicial about it. Impeachment is a political decision."
To the Republican Senators:
Our message is a simple one.
Democrats want a fair trial that examines the relevant facts.
We want a fair trial.
But the message from Senator McConnell, at the moment, is that he has no intention of conducting a fair trial. pic.twitter.com/PMAtQaQjhi
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 19, 2019
Vanderbilt University Professor of Political Science, Thomas Schwartz, told news.com.au he wasn't convinced that the Democrats' decision to delay the move was a great strategy but said he understood the rationale.
"The Democrats are trying to highlight McConnell's argument that he's not an impartial juror and force the Republicans to allow witnesses or change procedures in the Senate to allow for more possibilities for an investigation to continue," Mr Schwartz said.
"The problem with this strategy is that it also undercuts the Democrats' argument that impeachment is an urgent question and that we shouldn't wait until the election."
Another argument is that the Democrats want to let the "impeachment linger for a while" before a rapid trial in the Senate sees Mr Trump acquitted, according to Mr Schwartz.
"The Democrats want to limit as much time he has to boast about that before the election," he said.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, meets with reporters on the morning after the House of Representatives voted to impeach Donald Trump, in Washington D.C, on December 18, 2019. Picture: AP/J. Scott Applewhite.Source:AP
Under the rules the House adopted on Wednesday for consideration of the impeachment articles, a resolution naming the impeachment managers — and authorising the transmittal of the articles to the Senate — can be called up at any time by Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler or a designee, according to Mr Schwartz.
There is no time limit on that authority; the House is expected to recess for the winter holidays on Thursday and not return until January 7.
At the news conference, Ms Pelosi said she was not ready "to put the managers in that bill yet because frankly we don't know the arena that we're in".
"There's nothing constitutionally that says they're compelled as to when to hand (the impeachment articles) over," Mr Schwartz told news.com.au.
"But given the Democrats have said it's important to get done before the election you'd think they'd want to get it over.
"With holidays coming they can afford to wait a little bit because nothing is happening until January."
Pelosi feels her phony impeachment HOAX is so pathetic she is afraid to present it to the Senate, which can set a date and put this whole SCAM into default if they refuse to show up! The Do Nothings are so bad for our Country!
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday slammed Mr Trump's impeachment as the "most rushed, least thorough and most unfair" in modern history — and accused Democrats of being "too afraid" to send their "shoddy work" to the Senate for trial.
The Republican leader took to the Senate floor to lay into Wednesday's historic vote, calling it the "first purely partisan presidential impeachment since the wake of the civil war".
"The House's conduct risks deeply damaging the institutions of American government," he said, insisting the "rushed and rigged inquiry" was "poisoned" from the outset.
"This particular House of Representatives has let its partisan rage at this particular President create a toxic new precedent that will echo well into the future," he said.
Mr McConnell also slammed Ms Pelosi for having admitted she was unsure when — or even if — the charges would be presented to the Senate.
Last night, the House of Representatives took a historic vote to #DefendOurDemocracy from the President's abuses of his power. Listen in as I discuss this – and all of our work #ForThePeople – with reporters. https://t.co/IdSGX5qw2f
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) December 19, 2019
"Speaker Pelosi suggested that House Democrats may be too afraid to even transmit their shoddy work product to the Senate," he said.
"Mr President, looks like the prosecutors are getting cold feet in front of the entire country and second-guessing whether they even want to go to trial. They said that impeachment was so urgent that it couldn't even wait for due process – but now they're content to sit on their hands.
"This is really comical."
Mr McConnell also accused the Speaker of "failing" the country by her own standards after previously saying she would only proceed with the impeachment process if there was an "iron-clad" case.
RELATED: Trump impeachment: What happens next?
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Thursday claimed Ms Pelosi was "admitting defeat" by not sending the articles of impeachment approved by the House over to the Senate.
At his weekly news conference, Mr McCarthy suggested that the decision not to immediately send the articles to the other chamber was because Ms Pelosi "knows this outcome is not good" and that "the facts are not there".
"Now we have the own speaker of the House, who is so embarrassed that she admits the failure of this impeachment that she will not even send it to the Senate — so embarrassed that I watched in her press conference that she wouldn't even take your questions," Mr McCarthy said. "That is not a good legacy to have. She's admitting defeat by not sending it."
US President Donald Trump. Picture: Saul Loeb/AFP.Source:AFP
Visitors look over holiday decorations in front of the White House on December 18, 2019 in Washington. Picture: Steve Helber.Source:AP
The vote to impeach Mr Trump caps months of investigation by House Democrats into whether the US President leveraged nearly $400 million in military aid and a White House visit to coerce Ukraine to launch an investigation into Joe Biden, a 2020 political rival.
He is also accused of obstructing Congress by stonewalling the House's investigation.
Ms Pelosi said that Mr Trump posed an "ongoing threat" to the country's security that left Democrats "no choice" but to impeach him.
"It is tragic that the President's reckless actions make impeachment necessary. He gave us no choice," said Ms Pelosi, launching debate in the House of Representatives on impeaching the US leader.
"What we are discussing today is the established fact that the President violated the constitution. It is a matter of fact that the President is an ongoing threat to our national security and the integrity of our elections."
Mr Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and described the inquiry as a "witch hunt".
America remains deeply divided on the issue.
The House Judiciary Committee last week formally approved the two articles of impeachment against Mr Trump. That vote passed along party lines, 23-17.
The charges and subsequent inquiry are based on a July 25 phone call in which Mr Trump asked Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelensky to carry out two investigations – which could allegedly benefit him politically – including one targeting Mr Biden.
Thousands of demonstrators marched in support of impeachment across the US on Tuesday evening, with rallies in towns all over the country. Picture: Steve Helber/APSource:AP
People carried signs reading 'criminal-in-chief' and 'save the constitution' at the rallies. Picture: Olivier Douliery/AFP.Source:AFP
He is accused of attempting to withhold a White House meeting and $400 million in military aid from the Ukraine as part of an alleged bribe.
During the call, the President asked Mr Zelensky to "do us a favour" and investigate the origins of the Russia probe, which by July had already ended, and Mr Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukrainian natural gas company.
Democrats say Mr Trump's use of the phrase "I would like you to do us a favour, though" when discussing military equipment with Mr Zelensky was proof of a quid pro quo.
President Trump abused his power to cheat in the next election, then obstructed Congress to cover it up.
The only question is: Will Members honor their oath to uphold the Constitution?
History will remember the vote we take today. #DefendOurDemocracy
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 18, 2019
But Mr Trump said that's not what "us" referred to.
"Read the Transcripts! 'us' is a reference to USA, not me!," Mr Trump wrote in a tweet.
The requests came immediately after the Ukrainian President thanked Mr Trump for America's defence support and said his country was "almost ready" to buy more US military technology.
The Democrats claim Mr Trump then obstructed Congress by ordering current and former officials to defy House subpoenas for testimony and by blocking access to documents.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly labelled the investigation a 'witch hunt'. Picture: Mandel Ngan/AFP.Source:AFP
Mr Trump on Tuesday sent an extraordinary six-page letter to Ms Pelosi, warning that "history will judge you harshly".
The letter came just minutes before Ms Pelosi announced the House vote on Wednesday and accused the veteran Democratic politician of "breaking your allegiance to the Constitution" and "declaring open war on American Democracy".
"By proceeding with your invalid impeachment, you are violating your oaths of office, you are breaking your allegiance to the Constitution, and you are declaring open war on American Democracy," he said.
It repeated his claim that the entire case against him is a "hoax" and a "colossal injustice," and said Democrats were being driven in impeachment "by your most deranged and radical representatives of the far left".
megan.palin@news.com.au | @Megan_Palin
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