McConnell reveals he will vote to acquit Trump

[demmiblue]

Source: Politico

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told GOP colleagues in a letter that he will vote to acquit Donald Trump in the former president's impeachment trial, according to sources familiar with the communication.

McConnell's announcement ends a long period of silence over whether he would consider convicting Trump for incitement of insurrection and could pave the way for many other Republicans to follow in acquittal. The Kentuckian shared his decision in a note to fellow GOP senators on Saturday morning, ahead of what could be the final day of Trump’s second impeachment trial.

“While a close call, I am persuaded that impeachments are a tool primarily of removal and we therefore lack jurisdiction,” McConnell wrote.

That position puts McConnell in line with the votes he and 43 other GOP senators already cast, declaring Trump’s second trial unconstitutional. But the Republican leader, who has not spoken to Trump for weeks, suggested that criminal prosecution of the former president could be appropriate as a remedy following the violent Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/13/mcconnell-reveals-he-will-vote-to-acquit-trump-468988

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Link to tweet

[rickyhall]

1. OMG what a surprise...NOT!

Biggest bunch of cowards I ever heard.

[ananda]

25. Beat me to it. Profiles in Cowardice

The Reeps are SO corrupt and as you say, cowardly.

Maybe corruption and cowardice go together.

[PA_jen]

2. Not surprised. He is the scum on the Belly of the parasite trying to leach

the life of our democracy.

[Pachamama]

3. Of course Moscow Mitch will vote to acquit and provide cover for Trump and buy some time

No surprise....

But it’s just buying time and the truth will eventually come out...about Trump and about Mitch McConnell and all the other conspiring, lying and violators of our Constitution who for the last years and in the case of Mitch McConnell not just betrayed their oaths and enriched themselves, but are cowards and have done much harm.

[Docreed2003]

4. Mitch remains a slimy bastard who cares nothing more than for his own power

Make no mistake, regardless of how he rationalizes this decision, Mitch is calculating this decision as a means for regaining power. Screw him. He has ZERO conscience

Edit to add: he conveniently "supported" impeachment in Jan and then requested a delay for the "new Senate" to take it up.

[katmondoo]

5. Sickening, What happens to our Democracy now. It scares me. This horrible person

Trump, gets a free ride and maybe a huge payment from Russia. His debts may end.

[still_one]

7. We have the majority now. Let's pass the Covid relief, and make Washington DC a state, and

start doing the people's work

[Evolve Dammit]

54. Totally agree. He is "getting off" yet again. Never been accountable. Never.

[still_one]

6. The republican party is the party of trump and lawlessness. Get everything in the record, and

immediately pass the Covid relief package, make Washington DC a state. Forget about compromise. Starting with reagan, the republicans declared war against the middle class, and America. It is time to make them a minority party for years to come, and to get on with doing the people's work

The party of Lincoln, is now the party of the KKK, proud boys, oath keepers, and Qanon

f**k em

[Lock him up.]

33. "The party of Lincoln is now the party of the KKK, proud boys, oath keepers, and Qanon"

and of a lot of so-called Christians (who don't follow their Christ's teachings).

[still_one]

45. yes

[catbyte]

8. LOL. He intentionally delays the impeachment trial while that thing is still in office then votes

to acquit because it's "too late" to convict him. How very predictable. How very tiresome.

I don't think it's even cowardice anymore. I think they're actually okay with what he did.

[Bengus81]

62. McConnell started working both sides of the street on Jan 6th

Stall impeachment hearings until Trump is gone and then condemn his actions in a speech AFTER he voted to acquit him and then claim he couldn't be found guilty because he is no longer President.

[patphil]

9. By telling his colleagues in a letter, he is instructing them to acquit.

Actually, I don't believe there's anything Trump could have done to get convicted by the Senate. This trial is for the benefit of the people, and the Republican Party is really who is on trial.
We'll see how it plays out over time.

[TimeToGo]

10. No surprise really. But . . . horrible person.

[onetexan]

11. Mitch COWARD Mcconnell - that's his middle name

[Jon King]

12. Pure politics, pass the buck to Merrick Garland...

As predicted, typical coward. Make the Dems hold Trump accountable.

Fine, now every single Repub in 2022 and 2024 will face nonstop campaign ads tying them to Trump, Jan 6th and Qanon. Let the voters decide what they want.

[COL Mustard]

22. Hold Them To It

Yoke the Republicans to this monstrous act and never let anyone forget their conduct.

[global1]

13. Now Watch This Drive......nt

[turbinetree]

15. Conscience so colleagues I have no conscience when people try to overthrow the peoples

government and when a capitol police officer died to defend it, because it is like a game of checkers it was a close call,,,,,,,, it is after all about "POWER" over Country and don't you forget it.........it is the treason republican way and I am proud to be a republican............and a member of good standing in the Federalist Society, because after all fuck the constitution..............

[TwilightZone]

16. Of course he is. He always was; he was just trying to look rational.

He was trying to mollify the hordes of voters leaving the GOP by looking like he was seriously considering voting to convict.

The truth is that it was never going to happen.

[CoryTrevor]

17. Cool, let the beast show its face. Time for criminal prosecution.

[bucolic_frolic]

18. Decision before any decision on witnesses and further evidence

Mitch knows any reelection he faces is 6 years away

[Desert_Leslie]

19. Simple

I just sent him this one-word tweet:

Coward.

[Raven123]

20. His best Pontius Pilate imitation

Cold and calculating as usual. Mitch knows the evidence is tight. He’s figuring the Dems will go after Trump in the courts and the GOP will sit back and point fingers, effectively saying, “ this is the what happens when the Dems have control.” Planning for 2022.

[COL Mustard]

21. Anyone Who Votes To "Acquit" This Man Is A Total Coward

And unfit for office. If they're afraid of being primaried and losing their seats, they are absolute craven cowards. My disgust for these people knows no bounds.

[LymphocyteLover]

36. 100% agree

[mdbl]

61. +1000

[llashram]

23. of course

cowards all...

[AZ8theist]

24. In other news, water is wet....

[KayF]

26. it was close, but Trump's defense team was so superb

i mean absolute master class. Mitch just couldn't resist that A number 1 constitutional tour de force of a defense argument.

[bdamomma]

27. Well well

I guess Mitch you don't want him to be permanently removed, you suck up. May you burn in hell. Such a bastard.

[xxqqqzme]

28. Was there ever any doubt?

He thinks king con has a second curtain. I think king con will run out of time.

moscow mitch - mr republicant

[Lonestarblue]

29. Mitch plans to regain his position of Majority Leader in 2022.

He doesn’t want to annoy Trump voters. He was always going to vote to acquit because Republicans only believe in holding someone accountable for crimes is when that person is a Democrat. They are the Party of insurrection, and Trump has written the playbook for them to use in future elections. Just claim massive fraud and refuse to recognize the results. I’m ready for the FBI to label the Republican Party not only as a hate group, but also as domestic terrorists.

[CrispyQ]

30. McConnell just handed the Republican Party to the nut jobs. The GOP is now the QGOP. -nt

[Joe Nation]

31. The GOP just fed itself to the Trumpians

Bon Appétit.

[Miles Archer]

32. I rewrote it for him. I think this version expresses Mitch's "close call" much better.

Subject: Today

Comrades - as I have said for some time, today's vote is a vote of conscience, and I know we will all treat it as such. And as you all know, I have no conscience, just a blind lust for the acquisition and retention of power. I was the Grim Reaper, I let over 400 pieces of legislation pile up on my desk while I devoted my full time to ramming through 3 conservative SCOTUS Justices and over 200 young, bright, conservative and often unqualified lifetime judges to the lower courts. And each time I accomplished these tasks, a tingle ran up my leg, and I miss that tingle. "Senate Majority Leader Schumer?" Fuck that, y'all. It's "Senate Majority Leader McConnell," you all know that, and in another two years it can happen again, but only if we lower ourselves before our lord and master, former Internet steak salesman (and also former one-term twice impeached president) Donald Trump. You know that, privately, I loathe the man. But there is no path to power if our lips leave his ass for even a brief second. This is a time in which we are called to action, and to all of my Republican colleagues, I say "pucker up." I have been asked directly by a number of you how I intend to vote, so I thought it right to make that known prior to the final vote. One thing I greatly admire about our former president is that he cares about no one and nothing beyond himself, and that warms the cockles of my heart, because I'm the same guy. I may mumble and do the "aw, shucks" Kentucky cracker barrel thing, y'all, but I AM Donald Trump, if Trump had a brain. That's right...meet the new boss, same as the old boss, and fuck y'all. While a close call, I am persuaded that impeachments will anger Trump's base, his voters, and the only way I'm going to wear the crown again in 2022 is if we kiss HIS ass, and THEIRS, so in case you missed it earlier, "pucker up." The Constitution makes perfectly clear that Presidential criminal misconduct while in office can be prosecuted after the president has left office, which in my view alleviates the otherwise troubling "If we piss off Trump and his base, I may not be Senate Majority Leader again in 2020" concerns that I have. So fuck y'all, what the hell did you expect, little frog, I'm Mitch, I'm a scorpion, I sting things, so fuck y'all and God Bless America. Later, bitches.

[area51]

42. Well done.

[Ponietz]

34. Wholesale election fraud to come in red states henceforth

The Republican Senate is crossing the Rubicon and all they can do, starting now, is double down.

[keithbvadu2]

35. Moscow Mitch acquit? Quelle Surprise!

Moscow Mitch acquit?

Quelle Surprise!

[LymphocyteLover]

37. cuz scumbags are gonna be scumbags...

[GOPistheEnemy]

38. Moscow Mitch has done more damage to this country then anyone else in the last 50 years

He is pure evil and if you believe in divine retribution he will burn in hell for all eternity or get a pineapple shoved up his ass every few hours for all eternity.

Take yer pick both are fitting.

[William Seger]

39. OK! So let's convict Trump and put him under house arrest for the rest of his life

NO MORE RALLIES!

[droidamus2]

40. Not that it is a big surprise

This just shows how little the Repubs respect our system of government. They brought up the jurisdiction/constitutionality question first thing and they lost the vote which means having the impeachment trial after the person leaves office has precedent in the Senate. As we see the Repubs are basically they don't care they lost the vote they will continue to use the argument to try and rationalize acquittal. That way down the line when they are interviewed they can use the bs line 'well I thought he was guilty of what he was accused of but the Senate was not the appropriate venue in whic h to address the case. If asked a followup question of 'what would be the right venue' they will go with 'I am not sure I just know it is not the Senate'.

[DeeDeeNY]

49. Mitch deliberately postponed the trial until after Trump was out of office

And he now uses Trump's being out of office as the reason why they can't convict.

[bucolic_frolic]

41. The timing of the letter's release suggest this is a "Move on, nothing to see here" strategy

But suddenly, we're calling witnesses. I suspect trials are like that, once threads start to unravel you plumb every last one.

[packman]

43. And why is this news???

[IronLionZion]

44. Do it Romney

I'd be interested in seeing which if any Republican senators vote to convict. Ben Sasse might do it although the Nebraska GOP has already threatened to censure him if he does. Murkowski? Collins? Rubio? Toomey?

[yaesu]

46. mcturtle protecting his boss, putin. nt

[TNNurse]

47. So announcing your vote before the hearing finishes

is totally corrupt. But it is Mitch so totally expected.

Imagine in court trial if a juror announced this before the case was sent to them????

[jalan48]

48. Was there any doubt? Can we finally dispense with the "McConnell may vote with the Dems" language

here on DU?

[Bettie]

50. There was never any doubt of his ultimate vote

Just like there will be all sorts of posturing by others, but in the end, they will vote to let him off becasue they are Republicans and this is how they roll: without any standards or ethics. The last four years have shown us that they aren't decent people, that they have no standards, ethics, morality, or integrity.

[GeorgeGist]

51. Foul.

[Steelrolled]

52. This was known before the impeachment even started.

But we love our political theartre.

[flibbitygiblets]

53. This letter effectively says "Trump is guilty; but I'll acquit due to lack of jurisdiction"

The lack of jurisdiction argument is 1) horseshit and 2) Mitch pissed away the opportunity to do anything while this phony jurisdiction argument wasn't a factor.

All of which is irrelevant and disingenuous. Call Mitch as a witness and ask him if he would convict if he believed this congress had standing to do so.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

55. Moscow Mitch has always been a boot licking toady

[Moostache]

56. Kill the filibuster in response.

Just give a speech, from Schumer, saying that "the minority party simply lacks standing to block legislation without votes" and "we trust the electoral process to provide the will of ALL the people" and neuter the son of a bitch while real legislation gets pushed through.

[Blasphemer]

57. He couldn't get the votes for conviction

That's basically what's happening here. I believe (as was previously reported) that he was trying to secure sufficient votes but the GOP is no longer in his control. Until now, he had some semblance of retaining power over a strange patchwork version of the GOP uniting the old Guard with the Trump faction, particularly with respect to judicial nominees. George W. Bush realized years ago that the party was lost and was now the party of Trump. McConnell and others are now faced with fully accepting that reality. The GOP is fully radicalized.

[George II]

58. That's as big a surprise as me taking a shower after getting up this morning.

[cstanleytech]

59. Mitch is full of shit!! Trump was impeached while in office so the Senate does have jurisdiction.

[Jetheels]

60. The optimist in me says this is a win win.

If rethuglicons acquit, in effect they’re staying on board a sinking toxic titanic.
If they convict, they’re disembarking the sinking sh!t and orange manson/hitler wannabe will face accountability.