Senate Judiciary Chair Lindsey Graham (R-SC) pledged on Sunday to help Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) change the Senate’s rules on impeachment trials if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) doesn’t hand over the two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump this week.
“The sooner this trial is over, the better for the American people,” said Graham, who told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” host Maria Bartiromo that he wanted the trial done by the end of January.
“And so what I would do, if she continues to refuse the send the articles as required by the Constitution, I would work with Senator McConnell to change the rules of the Senate so we could start the trial without her if necessary,” he continued.
“How soon will you move to change the rules of the Senate?” Bartiromo asked.
“Days, not weeks,” the Republican replied. “What she’s doing is bad for the country. It’s bad for the Senate. It keeps us from getting on with the business of the American people.”
Graham said he aims to start the trial “in the next coming days.”
“If we don’t get the articles this week, then we need to take matters into our own hands and change the rules, deem them to be delivered to the Senate so we can start the trial, invite the House over to participate if they would like,” he said. “If they don’t come, dismiss the case and get on with governing the country.”
Pelosi has been withholding the articles from the Senate since Trump was impeached on December 18. Amid the holdup, the Democratic leader has repeatedly pushed McConnell to allow witnesses in the impeachment trial, but she has not openly threatened to use the articles as leverage for her demand.
Both McConnell and Graham have blatantly admitted that they have no interest in maintaining impartiality in the trial and that they’re aiming to help Trump in the Senate’s impeachment proceedings.
Watch Graham below:
Graham says he'll work to change the Senate rules on impeachment trials if Pelosi doesn't hand over the articles of impeachment. pic.twitter.com/l2qGnyqKN4
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) January 5, 2020
“And the Supreme Court must rule on our schedule and the president must adhere to our timelines.”
The House impeached Trump Dec 18.
A one-week trial and conviction could have removed Trump before he blew up the Middle East with a gangland hit slash war crime.
If we have war with Iran, it’s on McConnell’s head. This is all still because he wants more judges and to prevent anti-corruption legislation from advancing.
This is McConnell’s war, and he is positively giddy at the possibility that it will provide cover for him to clean up the crimes he committed to bring us to this point.
This is how Organized Money disposes with the business of the country. Think on it the next time you hear the phrase “good corporate citizen.” Foreign policy < favorable tax rates, crooked laws.
ETA: and by the way, there is plenty of evidence to suggest the Iran shit is being done for exactly the same reason Trump withheld aid from Ukraine: it’s not in the US national interest, it’s just a distraction he needs from impeachment, Deutsche Bank revelations, etc. This Iraq distraction is another instance of the same misconduct Trump has been impeached for. It’s like an accused murderer derailing his own trial by killing a juror.
You know what keeps the Senate from “getting on with the business of the American people,” Lindsay? Moscow Mitch McConnell and the rest of you who empower him. Take a look at that huge pile of House-passed bills that is sitting on his desk and on which he refuses to even allow debate. You’re proud that he’s “the grim reaper” of legislation, remember?
“Knock knock”
“Who’s there?”
“Control Freak. Now you say, ‘Control Freak who?’”
Nancy Pelosi sees a hanging curveball…