Conviction or not, the GOP senators are frantic about the thought of this trial happening

[mtnsnake]

which is all the more reason why it's so important for us to follow through with a vengeance.

McConnell, Graham, Rand Paul, etc are doing everything under the sun to get us to cancel this trial. Have you noticed how hard they're trying to convince Democrats that there is no way that more than 4 of 5 repuke senators will vote to convict? Aren't we supposed to already know that? All we keep hearing from them is how none of them are going to vote for conviction. Sure that's probably the case, but why are they putting it out there so vehemently?

Combine that with how they are so upset that a trial taking place at all, and it makes me think of 3 possibilities. Either they're scared to death that more of their ilk just might vote to convict, or they're worried about certain people being called as witnesses, or they're worried to death how fucked all of them are going to look, regardless of which way they vote.

I still don't think there's a chance of conviction, but something is happening inside their smelly rat's den that clearly has those crooks shitting their pants over the thought of this trial. For whatever reasons brewing in their demented minds, they are all flipped out about it taking place.

[lame54]

1. Losers don't call the shots

[homegirl]

39. Some facts...

After Trump incited the insurrection, thoughtful people are asking whether or not the Republicans are a party that endorses violence, or whether they are a party that still believes that democracy and elections are the way that we decide things as a country.

Despite widespread demands that the U.S. Senate hold Trump accountable for helping to incite a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol just before leaving office, all but five Republican senators on Tuesday voted to invalidate the trial as unconstitutional—a move that ultimately failed. Trump's trial will proceed on February 9.

Polls continue to show that the American public supports convicting Trump and barring him from ever holding office again. A survey conducted by the Monmouth University Polling Institute from January 21 to January 24 found 56% of Americans approve of the House impeaching Trump.

That polling results also showed that 52% of the U.S. public wants the Senate to convict Trump on the impeachment charge. Additionally, when those surveyed were told that a conviction must precede a ban on Trump holding office in the future, support for the Senate convicting the ex-president increased from 52% to 55%.

[azureblue]

56. the GOP supported and encouraged the coup attempt

Look at the reality -they let Trump off the hook at the first impeachment, and doubled down on backing him. Then a lot of them stood up and repeated lies in an attempt to invalidate and overthrow a legitimate election. When that didn't work, they encouraged the storming and destruction of the White House. They are insurrectionists sure as if they had all been there killing the officers themselves. In some countries, they would all be in jail by now but America has refusing to accept that that is what happened here- one political party attempted to overthrow the government.

And now they are trying hard to keep people from realizing that.

[malaise]

2. Their greatest fear is that truth will out

and it will

[Butterflylady]

48. Sometimes the truth takes it time.

But it always, always, always wins in the end.

[malaise]

49. 1,000

[mountain grammy]

75. Exactly

[wnylib]

82. THIS! They fear having the full range

of facts coming out at the trial, and the evidence that some of them were/are complicit.

[malaise]

94. Correct is

right

[leftieNanner]

3. This time it will be a real trial

And the witnesses and evidence will be damning. For all of them. It will all be televised and the world will know what they did.

I agree that it's unlikely we will be able to pry 17 R votes out of them to convict, but the Constitutional Duty requires that the Senate hold the trial.

[stopwastingmymoney]

44. This

[notinkansas]

76. The vote has to be made public

so that every voter knows where these senators stand.

[machoneman]

88. And a really good showing at the trial, videos and witnesses, will make far more R voters.....

...leave the party. Heck, even if they never vote for a Democrat, staying home or skipping those traitorous R's on the ballot means we win! A badly split Republiscum party helps us immensely.

[mezame]

90. My Mom And I Will Be Glued To CNN

avidly watching. The Roman Coliseum will have nothing on this spectacular Spectacular!

[BeyondGeography]

4. 25-30% of Trump voters were shaken by the riots

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215016621

Keep them shook! Tim Kaine makes my friggin head hurt.

[groundloop]

23. Let's just hope that they can remember the coup attempt for a few weeks.

GOPers will be working overtime to convince their voters that everything was overblown, it was not big deal, blah blah blah.

[murielm99]

37. Censure is not enough.

[OMGWTF]

42. Hanging is not good enough.

[Chainfire]

5. It is a no win situation for the Republicans. My heart bleeds for them.

[aggiesal]

18. You forgot that sarcasm thingee! n/t

[grumpyduck]

6. I agree with the 3 possibilities on the OP, but

I also think they're scared shitless of creating a precedent.

Although it would also allow them to put future Democratic presidents on trial after the fact.

So it's a balancing act: cover their asses in the future vs impeaching Democrats.

And their reaction tells me they don't want to end up on the wrong side of the coin in the future.

[Mr.Bill]

11. Make no mistake about it,

if they win back the House in 2022, they will impeach Joe Biden before the end of January 2023.

[DENVERPOPS]

97. You betcha

For starters, just think back at all the shit they rained down on Hillary over Bengazi. They drug it out repeatedly over and over again for a long long time.......and that was nothing compared to the insurrection......
And as a bonus, she didn't do anything wrong.......

[lpbk2713]

7. They are complicit and just as guilty if they don't see Trump as a criminal.

Trump is guilty on many counts.

[OMGWTF]

43. Why are Cruz and Hawley allowed to be the jury when they are accomplices?

These fkers should be on trial too.

[ShazzieB]

83. The awful part is

I think a lot of them do see him as a criminal but will still vote to acquit. They're that scared of Chump's unhinged followers. Which means they are complicit, guilty, AND 🐔💩.

[Mr.Bill]

8. Some journalist should ask these republicans two questions.

Do you think Trump is guilty of the charges? They will say no. (followed, I'm sure by several paragraphs of gibberish)

If not, why don't you want him to have a trial so he can clear his name?

[robertpaulsen]

9. Here's a longshot possibility

Perhaps they are afraid that if the trial takes long enough, any number of criminal investigations (including the Capitol Insurrection) currently underway involving Trump may result in the first criminal indictment of an ex-President - while the impeachment trial of that ex-President is being televised! Imagine the optics of that and imagine how they'll try to justify their denial of guilt to their constituents without sounding batshit, complicit, or both!

[wiggs]

17. I like it. I don't think it's that much of a long shot. nt

[stopwastingmymoney]

46. I agree

[ShazzieB]

84. I also agree!

[robertpaulsen]

96. True.

I definitely think he will be indicted sometime this year.

[liberalmuse]

10. People are leaving the GOP now, wait until this trial.

They will start leaving in droves. It will be all laid out. I hope the Dems spare nothing and show all its ugliness. There was a video the other day by an older lady reporter that absolutely made my stomach churn. The protestors were vile and violent. I was disgusted that we share our country with these cretins. I hope they show this reporters videos during the trial. She was up close to these seditionists and people need to see this.

[in2herbs]

12. I read somewhere that the bulk of evidence presented by Ds will be videos. IMO this is why the

Rs are nervous. Their followers can't read/don't believe what they read but videos will be real. Yes, even if we don't get a conviction we need to have the trial and get the videos into the Congressional record so as time goes by it can be reviewed by others and hopefully convince them to never vote R. I am disappointed that some Ds, such as Kaine, don't seem to understand this concept.

[Walleye]

33. So many videos, and they are so brutal I could hardly watch

Unfortunately most of the Republicans are reptiles not human

[Ligyron]

68. Absolutely right, they are scared shitless of how the videos will clearly show his and others guilt.

Plus, it's just plain ugly as hell visually for their team and some moderates and independents will really be seeing it for the first time cause an actual Senate trial for a President's SECOND Impeachment officially makes it a BIG deal that will dominate all visual media. They won't be able to look away or unsee it this time.

if laid out clearly and choreographed correctly ... it will tell a story that demonstrates their guilt so clearly, it will be almost impossible to deny. It will be like them trying to say gravity doesn't exist.

[NHvet]

79. A picture is worth a thousand words

and you know once they're shown the Rs are going to say "Who you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?"

[meadowlander]

89. They can't blame it all on Antifa when there's so many tapes and arrests.

[Brown Feather]

13. They will vote to acquit

Liz Cheney did the right thing and her political career is over. No Senator other than a couple will vote to convict. Romney is getting bombarded with hate mail from his constituents.

He will vote to convict because he knows he is dead politically and will do what is right. Trump will be found not guilty because they ain't going to cut their own political throats.

[ret5hd]

25. So what?

Make them do it in full view of the electorate. Lil’ Lindsey is crying “if you call witnesses so will we!!!” as if the gop can find witnesses excusing insurrection.

[Kingofalldems]

47. So you're saying Trump wins no matter what?

Sure reads that way.

[Mme. Defarge]

14. Their attempted coup

is ongoing.

https://www.newsmax.com/t/newsmax/article/1007461?section=politics&keywords=tom-cotton-national-guard-capitol-dc&year=2021&month=01&date=27&id=1007461&oref=duckduckgo.com

[Hermit-The-Prog]

15. The Radical Republican Reich does not want the nation seeing the evidence.

[Roc2020]

16. Indeed. Their backside is in a slingshot

and Dems frankly win either way they vote. You lay down with dirt long enough the filth sticks to you forever.

[Poiuyt]

19. I'm sure some Republican Senators don't want the trial because they're afraid of getting outed.

I'm guessing that more than one of them was complicit in the insurrection.

[Ananda62]

32. I agree

I think the evidence will show some R House members and some R Senators deeply involved in coordinating the insurrection.

[ShazzieB]

86. I'd bet money on it.

Hawley for starters. And he's just the tip of the iceberg.

[ashredux]

20. #2

[GoCubsGo]

21. Yep, can't help but notice it.

They know at least some of them are going to get caught for being involved in the insurrection. Others are likely shitting their pants out of fear that the investigation will uncover tangent crimes of which they're involved. If not, they probably fear the fallout of having looked the other way while their fellow Republicans were committing crimes and treason.

[JackHughes]

22. It's exposure they're worried about

A few of the Republican co-conspirators will be testifying under oath -- and there's evidence galore.

[trueblue2007]

24. YOUR POST IS SO IMPORTANT. What you're said here, needs to be researched.

SEE which of the 3 things you've said is true.

[KayF]

26. totally agreed

they seem desperate. The censure idea seems like bailing them out.

[Thomas Hurt]

27. You elect criminals, you get what you pay for...deal with it.

[PuppyBismark]

28. Post impeachment, the DOJ could own his ass.

I hope our new attorney general decides to fully investigate tRump and throw the book at him. It may take a special prosecutor and that would be poetic justice.

If he is convicted of sedition then he is barred from holding office. If the trial is held in DC we could get a jury that would work.

[BobTheSubgenius]

29. I totally agree.

A conviction would be beyond great, but I think it's also beyond more than a tiny possibility. That doesn't mean it's not worth doing. Quite the contrary. There are serious imaging issues in play here, and the Democrats are in an excellent position to "win" most, if not all of them.

[Kablooie]

30. Everyone will hear how Trump actually DID support the insurrection...

but then all the Republicans will vote not to convict him.

It's going to expose the treasonous Republican behavior for everyone to see.

[Walleye]

31. It's time to loose the fateful lightning of our terrible swift sword

And trample out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.

[EndlessWire]

34. Yeah

The Repubs do seem agitated. Something is going on. Why would Cotton visit Trump at Mar a Lago?

I agree with the comment that they are trying to make the whole thing go away. Don't have a trial, send the troops home, forget about it all.

Bullshit. Insurrection is not going to go away just because you don't want to get caught now. And, someone on the inside, some public figure, is deep in it, and is going to be exposed.

It is stunning to me that these so called politicians, the ones elected to protect our interests, are such lowdown rats, absolute weasels.

Trump is a traitor. He was happy it happened, and he has not had any remorse over it.

I think the fact that he said he would be going with them is one toe over the line. I can't believe there are so many stupid people who can't think straight.

[world wide wally]

35. I hope the Dems can frame it so that if a Trump kisser votes "not guilty" it makes it appear that

the Senator himself was involved in this. And if they vote "guilty" they are in the clear.

[Mister Ed]

36. Of the three possibilities you're seeing, I think by far the most likely is...

...all of them.

They're scared to death that more of their ilk just might vote to convict.
They're worried about certain people being called as witnesses.
They're worried to death how fucked all of them are going to look, regardless of which way they vote.

[Boomer]

67. Agreed. All three

But any one of them is enough reason for the trial to continue.

[Traildogbob]

38. Exposure

The trial we be broadcast in its entirety. Fox will NOT show any of it. But trumpets will be glued to the TV’s dreaming of non conviction. And when republicans that are not full on trumpets see the video, and undeniable evidence, they should be sickened. Fox shows none of the Video now so when it is all exposed on all networks, and they WILL tune in, these senators will be associated with it all and will be harshly judged. It will be on their “permanent record” as we all had held over our heads as a death blow when in school.
Full exposure, let em on record say, big deal, we do not believe in justice, and we support terrorism.
And never again should we send troops to die attacking terrorists in other countries.

[NoMoreRepugs]

40. The scrutiny of 24/7 coverage under the brightest of worldwide lights

should concern the RePutinicans.

[lettucebe]

41. Their fear is for themselves -- witnesses will demonstrate how many of them

are guilty in this. That, IMO, is their real fear. Bring on the popcorn.

[dhill926]

45. all I can say is...

thank god for Georgia! Now line up those witnesses and let's have at them...

[stopwastingmymoney]

50. Hear hear

[mzmolly]

51. They knew.

And/or collaborated IMHO.

[spanone]

52. ALL THE MORE REASON TO MAKE IT HAPPEN

[Firebrand Gary]

53. I'm so glad to see this OP

I’m so glad to see this OP!

Watching the footage of the reaction of the senators, they are indeed in a panic. Let history record the betrayal of their oaths of office.

Lock them up!

[Harker]

54. A juror should hear the evidence prior to deciding.

I guess that's asking too much.

[dickthegrouch]

87. I thought the first law of Juries was:

Be impartial.

It sounds to me like this jury pool is impossibly contaminated and should be replaced. I agree there's no way to replace it but that's just another of the reforms that has to be put in place. Maybe we could empanel a Jury from Canada where integrity still means something?

[Harker]

95. Yes. I'd trust a hundred Canadians moreso than the Senate.

It would be difficult to find ten impartial prospective jurors in this country.

[brush]

55. Yep. If they vote to convict they'll get primaried. If they vote...

Last edited Thu Jan 28, 2021, 07:09 PM - Edit history (1)

to acquit, they will give their Dem opponents huge material for negative ads...acquitting an inciter of insurrection against the government and certified elections.

They're screwed either way. Wouldn't wanna be them.

[BComplex]

77. You'd think, that being the case, that an even moderately decent person would do the right thing.

But none of the republicans are moderately decent people, except maybe a handful.

[Crunchy Frog]

57. I'm just praying that our Dems stay strong on this.

[Joinfortmill]

58. Maybe there are tapes.

[AntiFascist]

59. What they should be worried about...

that this is all part Putin's grand plan to bring down the US and elevate Russia to its former status as as superpower. I'm sure the Republicans don't want to be known as the party that enabled that to happen.

[badboy67]

60. The GOP doesn't want America to see how corrupt and anti-American and anti-Constitution the GOP has

become.

Craven cowards serving the interest of 1 man only.

[Mr. Ected]

61. They already stole a trial from us

Vengeance is a dish served cold.

We have an opportunity to air out some really dirty laundry and we would be remiss not to accrue the political advantage, particularly with a fascist regime eager to overwhelm us all.

[riverwalker]

62. A trial with all the evidence

harrowing testimony, horrific videos.
If they don't convict, it will be on them to explain why and the public will know who they really are.

[BComplex]

78. I want them to call the cop who had his vertebrae crushed, and the cop who had his eye put out.

I want the republicans to SEE what they wrought.

[cilla4progress]

63. What I've noticed is the swagger

on the Dem side. Really good, clean, clear messaging. It's easier, when you have truth and ethics on your side.

Seems like Dem have some special, direct evidence.

Ties in to your theory!

[samplegirl]

64. I say let's

bring all evidence out and let the world decide their future fate.

[Cadfael]

65. They're afraid of the public turning on them

Nixon became more and more radioactive the longer the Watergate hearings went on and I hope the same thing happens with Trump.

If there begins to be a groundswell of support for convicting Trump they won’t know what to do. They’re so afraid of his base - we need to make them just as concerned about the sane faction of the body politic.

[Ferrets are Cool]

66. The question I've been asking myself is "What if they all just use the 5th?"

What then?

[kimbutgar]

69. Democrats control the trial and can drag it on, with really good witnesses and facts to back up

And there’s nothing turtle can do, he can object and be overrode. I think some damaging stuff will cone out that will be devastating. And implicate a lot of repuke traitors.


Bring it on....

[GETPLANING]

70. McConnell, Graham, Rand Paul, etc know that is isn't Donald J Trump who will be on trial

It will be McConnell, Graham, Rand Paul, and the rest of the insurrectionist party.

[bdamomma]

71. Does anyone

think Feb 9th could be another day to attack by the Domestic terrorists???? hmmm......sigh

Maybe those repig bastards in the Congress know.

[TomDaisy]

72. let's rub their faces in it

[smirkymonkey]

73. K&R

[Blue Owl]

74. Bring. It. ON!

[NNadir]

80. What's bothering them is that this time witnesses will be called.

This made all the difference in Watergate, witnesses.

[MerryBlooms]

92. Yes, and the world will be watching. Their extreme base will

Cheer them on, but world leaders will recoil in horror and these repubs will not be welcome at any table.

[neohippie]

81. Even if there is no conviction

No matter if there isn't a realistic possibility of a conviction, the other options don't disappear,

A vote to censure can still be held after the fact, as well as pursuing the 14th amendment I say damn the torpedoes full speed ahead on all of these paths towards accountability

https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/could-the-14th-amendment-be-used-to-disqualify-trump-from-office

[Kid Berwyn]

85. Outstanding OP and thread.

The GOP in Congress and across the nation, their fascist enablers, and their NAZI henchmen universally fear one thing: TRUTH.

[LaMouffette]

91. The impeachment trial will be broadcast on NBC, CBS, ABC, and CNN, so the millions of Americans

who do not pay much attention to politics will have a better chance of seeing the horrific video footage of the raw and uncensored brutality committed on Trump's behalf and at his urging. I agree with all your reasons that Republicans are frantic about the trial happening, but especially your last point of how bad this is going to make them look, when they are all counting on American voters' historically short attention spans.

Yesterday, someone here on DU mentioned the PBS Frontline episode that just aired: Trump's American Carnage. I had missed it, but found it on YouTube. In this program, for the first time. I saw the woman getting shot as she tried to enter the Capitol. I mean the whole thing, from the mob yelling that the officer had a gun, to the hand appearing with the gun, to the shot being fired, to the woman getting propelled backward from the impact, falling to the floor, and curling up in anguish. Even though I knew about this incident and had seen it in part, I still felt shock at seeing the complete act unfolding (and don't get me wrong, I fully support the officer's action).

I don't think the millions of Americans who do not pay much attention to politics or who just watch Fox News have witnessed this and other extremely visceral and disturbing footage—and they need to see these images so that they will fully understand the violent act of sedition that Trump incited that day.

[nuxvomica]

93. They are trying to "Jim Jordan" the terrorist attack on the Capitol

Maybe Jordan can show them some pointers on how to ignore heinous crimes, like with a workshop or something.

[Nitram]

98. The GOP is betting the entire GOP electorate will forget all about the insurrection within a month.

The trial, complete with witness testimony, will put it back in the forefront of people's minds. So what if we know we can't get a conviction? We must make sure this doesn't get swept under the rug. Expose exactly what GOP members are voting for by getting it all out in the open.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

99. Yes!! One reason it ISN'T.... That they want to do other work!

Haven't done anything for four years.

[cstanleytech]

100. They know if they convict him that they then would have to also convict a number of their own party

members in the House and Senate for the same thing.

[DeminPennswoods]

101. Americans are going to be shocked when they see the video

of what really happened and how violent it was.

A comparable might be the Army-McCarthy hearings of 1954. Up until then, McCarthy still had many supporters, but the hearings exposed him as a fraud and worse. Those hearing essentially ended his political career. I can see a similar denoument for this impeachment even if Trump is not convicted.

[Progressive Jones]

102. They fear what will come to light, and not just about Trump. nt