McConnell Seizes On Iran To Accuse Pelosi Of Playing Politics With Impeachment Articles

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, JANUARY 7, 2020:U.S. Senator, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaking during the Republican Senate Caucus press conference.
WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, JANUARY 7, 2020: U.S. Senator, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaking during the Republican Senate Caucus press conference.- PHOTOGRAPH BY Michael Brochstein / Echoes Wire/ Barcroft Media (Pho... WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, JANUARY 7, 2020: U.S. Senator, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaking during the Republican Senate Caucus press conference.- PHOTOGRAPH BY Michael Brochstein / Echoes Wire/ Barcroft Media (Photo credit should read Michael Brochstein / Echoes Wire / Barcroft Media via Getty Images) MORE LESS
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) took to the floor Wednesday before President Donald Trump addressed the nation about Iran, capitalizing on the backdrop to accuse House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) of playing politics with the impeachment articles.

“Yesterday evening, in the midst of these deadly serious events, Speaker Pelosi put out another statement saying she has no intention to end her political game playing,” McConnell said. “At the very same time a global crisis was unfolding in real time, she published another ‘dear colleague’ letter saying she intends to keep our commander-in-chief in this limbo indefinitely.”

Pelosi’s letter addressed McConnell’s Tuesday announcement that he has the requisite votes to go forward with his rules proposal for the impeachment trial, which would delay deciding whether or not to call witnesses until after the proceedings had started.

“It is important that he immediately publish this resolution, so that, as I have said before, we can see the arena in which we will be participating, appoint managers and transmit the articles to the Senate,” Pelosi wrote.

Pelosi also denied McConnell’s refrain that the Senate trial for Trump would follow the blueprint of the Clinton impeachment, saying that “witnesses were deposed” in the Clinton trial.

Democrats have doubled down on their witness demands after former National Security Adviser John Bolton said that he would testify during the trial if subpoenaed. McConnell has been intractable in his opposition, and at least so far, successfully kept his members most likely to defect to the Democrats on a tight leash.

He also slipped in a veiled threat to Democrats in his Wednesday remarks, warning them to be careful what they wish for.

“I would remind my friends on the the other side, I strongly suspect that not all the potential witnesses would be people the Democrats are eager to hear from,” he said.

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