Pollak: Senate Can Acquit Even If House Withholds Articles of Impeachment

[mystery-ak]

Joel B. Pollak 18 Dec 2019

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) appears to be considering an idea Democrats have floated for several days of holding back the articles of impeachment to exercise leverage over the Senate and the president.

She declined formally to transmit the articles to the Senate on Wednesday evening after the House voted to impeach President Donald Trump.

Unfortunately for them, the Senate can act, regardless — and would vote to acquit.

That’s because the Constitution is absolutely clear about the Senate’s authority. Article I, Section 3 says: “The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments.”

That is all.

more
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/12/18/pollak-senate-can-acquit-even-if-house-doesnt-transmit-articles-of-impeachment-constitution/

[libertybele]

Joel B. Pollak 18 Dec 2019

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) appears to be considering an idea Democrats have floated for several days of holding back the articles of impeachment to exercise leverage over the Senate and the president.

She declined formally to transmit the articles to the Senate on Wednesday evening after the House voted to impeach President Donald Trump.

Unfortunately for them, the Senate can act, regardless — and would vote to acquit.

That’s because the Constitution is absolutely clear about the Senate’s authority. Article I, Section 3 says: “The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments.”

That is all.

more
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/12/18/pollak-senate-can-acquit-even-if-house-doesnt-transmit-articles-of-impeachment-constitution/

Good information.  If the Senate takes up a vote to acquit though, then Trump will not get his day in court and none of the corruption from the left will continue to surface.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

I'd prefer that McConnell take no action other than to announce he's taking no action until the Article of Impeachment are sent over.  I think it's a bad look for Dems, and the longer it drags out, the worse it will look for them.

Also, lets say he does decide to hold a vote anyway and acquit.  Pelosi would then send over the Articles with another bit or two of additional information, and demand a trial now that the Senate has the Articles.  That'd put the ball back in McConnell's court.  He won't want to have a trial, but then he'll get badgered for not holding one.

I'd just let Pelosi's threat twist in the wind.  If she does nothing by the end of next year, then hold a vote to acquit after the election so the historical record is closed.

[libertybele]

I'd prefer that McConnell take no action other than to announce he's taking no action until the Article of Impeachment are sent over.  I think it's a bad look for Dems, and the longer it drags out, the worse it will look for them.

Also, lets say he does decide to hold a vote anyway and acquit.  Pelosi would then send over the Articles with another bit or two of additional information, and demand a trial now that the Senate has the Articles.  That'd put the ball back in McConnell's court.  He won't want to have a trial, but then he'll get badgered for not holding one.

I'd just let Pelosi's threat twist in the wind.  If she does nothing by the end of next year, then hold a vote to acquit after the election so the historical record is closed.

...hmm... not so sure.  If the Senate votes to acquit. Then I believe it's over.  Would the House not have to bring up new articles of impeachment, hold hearings and vote??

[Maj. Bill Martin]

...hmm... not so sure.  If the Senate votes to acquit. Then I believe it's over.  Would the House not have to bring up new articles of impeachment, hold hearings and vote??

Well, at least from the House's perspective, the first Senate vote would have been invalid because the Articles of Impeachment were not sent over, so there was legally nothing on which to vote.  They'll also make a lot of hay out of the fact that the Senate voted to acquit without having a trial at all.  So, now that the Articles have been sent, they should actually have a trial.

That's all kind of confusing/mushy, and will be spun heavily by a sympathetic press.  I think it's better to keep it clean, and just leave the ball in Pelosi's court.

[Cyber Liberty]

I'd just let Pelosi's threat twist in the wind. If she does nothing by the end of next year, then hold a vote to acquit after the election so the historical record is closed.

When the best option is to do nothing, we have the best Senators in the world.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

When the best option is to do nothing, we have the best Senators in the world.

 

Although the Turtle has totally rocked when it comes to judicial confirmations, starting with elimination of the judicial filibuster.