General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsImpeachment Juror Susan Collins Has Lunch With Donald Trump
From the article:
.
Collins, whose seat is expected to be one of the most expensive and competitive next year, has refused to comment on the impeachment hearings, citing her view that she will serve as a juror in the Senate trial, should the House vote that the president should be impeached. How her decision on impeachment affects her re-election which she hasnt formally announced has been a topic of debate.
To read more:
https://www.politicususa.com/2019/11/21/susan-collins-trump-lunch.html
I feel quite certain that Collins will express her deep feelings of concern for Trump's behavior just before she voters to acquit him.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)nothing, actually, because her concern and disappointment never translate into action.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)implies an inherent understanding by the poster ... that, no matter what she SAYS ... she ain't gonna DO ... jack sh*t.
Just sayin
Evergreen Emerald
(13,069 posts)How does he continue to get away with this? Didn't he call the senators and threaten to take away support if they voted for impeachment?
Now having lunch with them.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)doc03
(35,328 posts)bluestarone
(16,926 posts)NO-ONE will stop him.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)Once the Articles are Passed by the House, then that sort of legal jeopardy might come into play if he's meeting with Senators privately.
AND ... if the Senate weren't a f***ing joke right now ... something might actually be done if he does do so afterwards.
MoonRiver
(36,926 posts)TheCowsCameHome
(40,168 posts)That would be like blackmail.
2naSalit
(86,579 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)So that should disqualify him as well.
And McConnell said the impeachment would go nowhere in the Senate. Another disqualification?
onenote
(42,700 posts)Clinton. Everyone and their brother knew that there weren't enough Democratic votes to convict Clinton long before the trial was held (and, indeed, before the House impeached Clinton).
My point being, that this is nothing new.
ProudMNDemocrat
(16,784 posts)of the United States as Trump's behavior and attitude towards Ukraine has. Trump has virtually violated the US Constitution in so many ways as to allow Putin and his cronies in Ukraine to threaten us so to speak. To the point that Trump is now considering having the US pull out of NATO. Another feather in Putin's cap.
2naSalit
(86,579 posts)wrote and passed around a resolution objecting to the impeachment hearings and most of them signed it. Regardless of it's power as a proclamation, it's power now is proof that all those reprobates have agreed that they don't want to participate. Therefore, they should not be included in the process. The legal verbage refers to two thirds of members present shall hold trial and render yea or nay for removal from office.
So. I think some legal eagles should look into whether they have disqualified themselves.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)That means that the jury already agreed to do nothing.
2naSalit
(86,579 posts)on fucking paper. So they should not have the power to vote in the process as they have already proclaimed that they have other plans than what is Constitutionally mandated of them.
That would leave the Senate with an overwhelming majority of Democratic "members present" when it comes to that. I think they had no malice of forethought going on there (meaning someone is leading them down this road) they seem to have screwed themselves unless they were looking to create an "out" for themselves out of desperation.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)1) What the GOP should do, and
2) what they will do.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)onenote
(42,700 posts)It's all empty formality. Always has been. Lindsay Graham says he won't read the evidence. Well, there is no requirement that he do so and no way of ascertaining whether any Senator has read, or listened to anything. Indeed, there is no rule that the Senate trial can only be held if 100 percent of the Senators are present. A Senator can skip the trial and still vote. In the Clinton impeachment, the trial began with the submission of written pre-trial statements and then oral opening statements. Then, after some questioning of the prosecution and defense lawyers, but before any witnesses were called (and indeed before it was decided whether any witnesses would be called), motions to dismiss the articles of impeachment were made by Robert Byrd and were voted down on what was essentially a strict party line vote, with every Democrat except Feingold voting to dismiss at that early stage of the proceedings. The actual vote on whether or not to convict did not occur for another two weeks.
So, there is nothing any "legal eagles" can do about the way a Senate impeachment trial is conducted.
onenote
(42,700 posts)Trump hasn't been impeached yet so there is no way it is improper for him to meet with members of the Senate. And as for history, as was reported at the time, just a month before the House formally commenced the Clinton impeachment inquiry, Clinton had lunch with several Democratic lawmakers, including Senators Kennedy and Kerry.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)But the GOP members of Congress have made it quite clear that they will do nothing,
Lochloosa
(16,063 posts)There is no telling what may come out before it goes to the Senate.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)Lochloosa
(16,063 posts)struggle4progress
(118,282 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)about her re-election campaign for 2020.
Lochloosa
(16,063 posts)It would be a hard argument to disqualify anyone.
But, this should cost her votes.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)And he is a lawyer.
Eliot Rosewater
(31,109 posts)What we do now is up to us, will we have violence or just roll over and let putin come in and take over...?
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)We need a blue tidal wave in 2020.
Eliot Rosewater
(31,109 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)Eliot Rosewater
(31,109 posts)mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)Eliot Rosewater
(31,109 posts)jpak
(41,757 posts):yeoldeDUmiddlefingersmilie:
Eliot Rosewater
(31,109 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)Raftergirl
(1,285 posts)is going to lose her Senate seat a year from now - regardless of how she votes in the trial. I, for one will be glad she will vote to acquit and end up on the wrong side of history. It will be her legacy.
Firestorm49
(4,032 posts)Trying to buy one?
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)He knows the GOP is his personal battalion of shock troops.
Proud Liberal Dem
(24,412 posts)Did Clinton lunch with Democratic Senators while in the midst of his Impeachment/Trial? And let's imagine what the Republicans would have said/done if he had?
DFW
(54,370 posts)She would first reassure the condemned prisoner that she was very concerned about gun violence in America.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)UniteFightBack
(8,231 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)The current version of the GOP has no shame.
JDC
(10,127 posts)To make a campaign rally stop and endorsement for Sen Collins. That way her fate is sealed.
Orangepeel
(13,933 posts)the campaign ad writes itself