Daily Kos: McConnell readies nuclear option for shielding Senate trial from public view

[Botany]

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is taking extraordinary steps to keep what's sure to be a sticky impeachment trial for GOP senators out of the public eye. He's already roped off certain areas to pen up reporters so they can't wander the halls and ask the very questions GOP senators are loath to answer. Journalists will also pass through a newly added metal detector before taking their media seats in the chamber in case they try to "bug the chamber with surveillance equipment," reports the Washington Post. It's all under the guise of "security" that's supposedly intended to protect senators, but credentialed reporters have effectively been designated a security threat.

Naturally, no digital devices such as cell phones or computers or cameras will be allowed in the Senate chamber to record the historical spectacle in real-time. That's standard practice in both the upper and lower chambers, but the House suspended the rule during the impeachment proceedings so journalists could better capture the moment.

But McConnell and his caucus could also simply kill the only camera allowed in the chamber during some of the most important parts of the trial. As the New York Times writes, "Lawmakers could pull the C-Span plug and go into closed session at critical moments of debate over the conduct of the trial and the fate of the president."

It's a procedure that was sometimes employed during the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton, but the circumstances of that trial were quite different. While Senate Republicans controlled the chamber, they weren't in any position to abuse their power or further anger the public as Clinton's approval had already soared and the GOP was taking a political beating. In addition, Republicans didn’t gain anything by shielding Clinton from the negative publicity that would naturally arise from a trial they were constitutionally required to hold in the view of many legal scholars.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/1/17/1912188/-McConnell-readies-nuclear-option-for-shielding-Senate-trial-from-public-view?detail=emaildkre

[bluestarone]

1. Be ready for ANYTHING from these assholes!

That's my prediction!

[Iliyah]

2. In this case, shithole approval is in a deep hole . . .

Republican senators in 2020 will face the music, especially in purple states . . .

The public want to view the trial. Nevertheless, leaks will be forthcoming.

[C_U_L8R]

3. They can't gag half the Senate

If there's some bullshit going on, Democratic Senators will bring it right to the people and the media... cameras or not.

[SWBTATTReg]

4. These people (the senators) can't hide all of the time, can't avoid the press all of the time. ...

To be honest, I think rump is too TV conscious and too much of a publicity hog to allow the cameras to be shut off. From what I've heard, rump and McConnell have been somewhat at odds as to how much exposure and such rump should have during this process, rump of course being that he wants every bit he can get, regardless, and McConnell probably zero coverage. The fact of the matter is that the American public deserves 100% coverage...we did vote these people into office and we deserve the facts too.