House Dem: Impeaching Trump on party lines would 'tear the country apart'

[markpkessinger]

67. Sure . . .

. . . But unfortunately, the Constitution doesn't define what it means by "high crimes and misdemeanors," Senate Republicans are sure to disagree about what constitutes a "high crime or misdemeanor" that rises to the level of warranting impeachment. The House could force the issue, but an impeachment trial requires 67 votes in order to convict (18 Republicans plus every Democrat and the two independents).

And actually, there is no Congressional "duty" to impeach. Impeachment is an overtly political process. But the House is under no obligation to bring articles of impeachment against a president unless it has the political will to do so. Senators, who effectively serve as jurors at an impeachment trial, are obligated to consider evidence, but they are free to vote their consciences (or lack thereof).

Impeachment is not a legal process; it is a political one, and thus there is no legal obligation or duty to proceed on any given impeachment vote. One can argue, and I would agree, that there should be a moral obligation, but I am not at all prepared to bet on the moral consciences of 18 Republicans!

Meanwhile, should the impeachment be brought and the Senate fail to convict at trial, we will have succeeded only in strengthening Trump politically.