Pelosi delays sending impeachment documents to the Senate; Trump wants immediate trial

Brett Samuels
The Hill
Thu, 19 Dec 2019 07:39 UTC

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US President Donald Trump

President Trump on Thursday said he wants "an immediate trial" in the Senate after the House adjourned for a two-week recess without sending articles of impeachment to the upper chamber.

The president lashed out at House Democrats, who are holding on to the articles as part of an effort to secure more favorable terms in the Senate proceedings.

"So after the Democrats gave me no Due Process in the House, no lawyers, no witnesses, no nothing, they now want to tell the Senate how to run their trial," Trump tweeted. "Actually, they have zero proof of anything, they will never even show up. They want out. I want an immediate trial!" He went on to claim Democrats "don't even want to go to trial!"

The House on Wednesday night impeached Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. All but four Democrats voted for both articles, while no Republicans voted for either article.

The White House has signaled it wants a quick trial in the Senate to exonerate the president.

But the next votes are scheduled in the House for Jan. 7, meaning Democrats will not be able to transmit articles or appoint impeachment managers before then. The Senate, meanwhile, is expected to go on recess until Jan. 3.

Under the chamber's rules the Senate trial will start the day after the House sends the articles of impeachment to the chamber, unless that day is a Sunday.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) met Thursday to discuss terms of a possible trial, though they did not appear to reach an agreement on witnesses or requests for additional documents.

Trump has blasted Democrats over the tactic of withholding the articles, ripping Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in a tweet and suggesting earlier in the day that it is unconstitutional despite no indication that is the case.

Comment: Politico, 18/12/2019: Reactions from the House

Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to commit Wednesday to 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. That would've been our intention, but we'll see what happens over there." Pelosi's comments inject new uncertainty into the impeachment timetable and send the House and Senate lurching toward a potential institutional crisis.

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.

The White House lashed out 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.

"The only thing that matters is the president of the United States was impeached today," said Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-Calif.).

"We defended the Constitution and we defended our democracy," said Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.). "Right now, that's the story."

Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.): "The House could use the delay to continue to build on its evidence for impeachment, and possibly to score additional legal victories that could unlock troves of new evidence."

"People have read that article, discussed it. People have come up to me, discussed it," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said. "We will talk about it in some point in time. It's within the speaker's purview, obviously, she'll make that decision. And I also think she'll do it in discussions with McConnell and [Senate Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer."

From RT, 19/12/2019: Pelosi's delay - a new notch in absurdity

The sudden foot-dragging from the congresswoman whose party has been clamoring for impeachment for most of the president's time in office pushed some Republicans over the edge. "Democrats have finally realized they have a very WEAK case which NEVER should have been brought forward to begin with," said Lindsey Graham.

By sticking to complaints that the ground rules for the Senate trial are "unfair," Democrats can pretend they're merely waiting for a more advantageous climate to pursue a conviction.

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer sent McConnell a lengthy wish list of demands earlier this week, including the right to call four witnesses who already refused to testify during the House inquiry and other perks the Republicans did not enjoy during those hearings, guaranteeing McConnell would refuse his terms.