Trump told CBP head he'd pardon him if he were sent to jail for violating immigration law

[elfin]

14. I think he WANTS to be impeached -- but not convicted, of course

Just to get his fight on, for more rallies for this poor persecuted President, to make fun of every member of the House in personal terms, to distract from his many other very real evils, to avoid anything of substance being developed as legislation that will be quashed by Mitch or his veto and on and on and on.

Speaker Pelosi is right to avoid this IMO unless her Senate vote count is different than I suspect, and in the hellish event he actually wins in 2020, THEN bring the sledgehammer down in such copious detail and charges that he will have little time to do anything but try to save his butt.

Also with sidebar investigations and hearings to go after Miller and others. I believe all of this can happen after a loss by him, causing him to be a private citizen, still liable for many transgressions.

Trump's heartbeat depends on the energy of hate and paranoia. Those traits have served him well in his long-time survival against the odds. Take the prospect of an impeachment trial off the table (until after 2020) and you have taken the biggest event away from him to make the biggest fight that will help keep his evil heart beating.