Today in the House

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The House has new articles of impeachment drawn up. House Democrats also prepared a resolution calling on Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment. House Republicans objected to the latter measure. It may be voted on in the full House tomorrow. My understanding is that if Pence hasn’t invoked the 25th by Wednesday, the House will impeach. And the House Dems have the votes.

Of course, the Senate won’t remove Trump from office before he’s out anyway, but that doesn’t make the exercise pointless. But a post-term conviction, if obtained, would still be useful. “First, it gives the Senate the authority to prevent Trump from ever running again for federal office,” says Kevin Drum. “Second, it would rescind some of Trump’s perks of retirement, including his pension, office space, and government-paid staff.”

It would also force Senate Republicans to go on record one more time — are you with Trump, or are you with the United States?

Mike needs to face the reality that his political career is over. For once in his sorry ass life, he ought to do the right thing and invoke the 25th. I’m not holding my breath.

19 thoughts on “Today in the House”

  1. It would also force Senate Republicans to go on record one more time — are you with Trump, or are you with the United States?

    I still would like a variation of the Lt. Aldo Raines trademark.  Like a scarlet T on their foreheads.

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  2. Something I haven't seen anyone mention is that if the House impeaches Trump for the insurrection, then nobody can pardon him for that criminal offense. After all, "[t]he President … shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of impeachment."

    I am not a lawyer, but it seems to me that even absent a conviction in the Senate, Trump's insurrection is now a 'Case of impeachment.' It is therefore not subject to the pardon power. Not by Trump himself, not by Pence if he becomes president, not by Biden if he feels it is time to 'turn the page.'

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  3. Something I haven't seen anyone mention: if the House impeaches Trump for the insurrection, then nobody can pardon him for that criminal offense. After all, "[t]he President … shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of impeachment."

    I am not a lawyer, but it seems to me that once the House impeaches, even absent a conviction in the Senate, Trump's insurrection is now a 'Case of impeachment.' It is therefore not subject to the pardon power. Not by Trump himself, not by Pence if he becomes president, not by Biden if he feels it is time to 'turn the page.'

    • It would have been easy for the framers to say, "impeachment and removal." I do not know the answer, but we should test it. Assuming the Senate does not convict, the A/G should charge Trump with the federal crime of inciting insurrection and see if the court(s) supports the indictment. 

  4. Heard during my sleep, on the six a.m. news show, that Pence was invoking the 25th. Commented to myself that that show more backbone than I've seen him possess, but good. Dreamed off and on all day about the 25th being detected by scientists in the bloodstream, and kept saying to myself in the dreams that I didn't think how that was done. First thing I did on rising and getting the computer set up and on line, was google it. And sure enough, he's not. Would love to have been proved wrong.

  5. Waiting for the storm, that's sure to hit on or before Jan 20.

    Biden would be smart to hold his inauguration virtually, not in person.

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  6. Hi, Kids!

    As of now, it looks pretty likely that my Mom got a false-positive. 

    YAY!!!!!!!!!!

    Impeach this seditious son-of-a-bitch, Benedict Donald!  Then hand that hot-potato off to Moscow Mitch – THAT son-of-a-bitch!!!!

    And it looks like that House hearing will happen this Wednesday, 1/13.

    tRUMP will then have 2 impeachments under his size 58 belt. 

    And if he does something else stupid/dangerous/seditious in that week until Inauguration Day, Moscow Mitch can call the Senate together, and impeach his fat, doughy ass as soon as possible!

     

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    • Great video.. Maybe Ginny Thomas can spot them some bus fare to get home. "I'll pay you back when my hunchback brother straightens out" 

      It's not easy being a winter soldier!

  9. The 25th is npt a simple button push. A. Vice president and a majority of principal officers of executive departments and then votes and rebuttals and more votes. Pence cannot do it alone even if he wants to. And with all the acting directors and secretaries who are the principals what constitutes a majority ?  There is no simple answer. I do think he can be impeached later and should be. All of the law breakers should be prosecuted. And all legislators who aided and abetted should be barred from office. Read the14th they should all go. Im glad they are losing corporate donations. I wish corporations had never supported this garbage and had never supplied the platforms for this nonsense to begin with. Rats on titanic

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  11. I think Pence is suffering from battered spouse syndrome. After Trump threw him to the wolves he came crawling back to protect Trump. He's all kissy face now with Trump. It looks like a mild version of Hedda Nussbaum's relationship with Joel Steinberg The proper thing for Pence to do is invoke the 25th and pass on the responsibility to remove Trump from office to the cabinet members. Let them be put on record to defend Trump's coup attempt.

    I hope Trump doesn't force Pence sit in a bathtub of ice water as punishment to learn obedience.

    • What an odd couple, together again until the 20th, even though Pence refused to break Constitutional law for Trump, and Trump sicced a hanging mob on Pence. How they deserve each other! RDX is a more stable compound than Trump-Pence.

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