Columns
Blaine’s Bulletin: Impeachment Next Steps
Washington,
January 3, 2020
Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed quality time with family and friends over the Christmas and holiday season. We were lucky enough to have our kids, grandkids and extended family come to the house for Christmas. It was a wonderful day full of faith, family, good food, a few gifts, and (to which grandparents of young kids can relate) one or two temper tantrums. The last two weeks were also a great opportunity to visit with people around the Third District. They shared their thoughts and concerns with me, and I shared what the upcoming year in Congress could hold. While 2020 presents unlimited possibilities, unfortunately, the ongoing impeachment debacle will continue to take up valuable time and energy in Washington, D.C. This being only the third impeachment effort to make it through the House, combined with the Democrat majority’s departure from historical precedent, means there is not a clearly defined path forward. To muddy the waters even further, Speaker Nancy Pelosi is refusing to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate. Despite her rush to hold a full House vote on impeachment before Christmas – presumably to pander to her far-left base before members spent two weeks at home – she now appears to be having second thoughts. Now that the completely political process in the House is over, the Senate will hold a trial where facts, not feelings, will be reviewed and determine the outcome. The Speaker is clearly not overly eager for that to begin. There has been some confusion about how the House’s vote to impeach President Trump in December affects his status as Commander in Chief or his ability to do the job. The short answer is: not at all. For a President to be removed from office the Senate must convict. A House vote alone does nothing. President Trump is still our President with the full powers of the office. Assuming Speaker Pelosi does decide to send the impeachment articles to the Senate, they can get started with a trial. In this trial, members of the House, picked by the Speaker, will present and defend their case. Senators will serve as the jury and Chief Supreme Court Justice John Roberts will preside. The Senate trial is expected to take weeks followed by a vote where 67 votes are required to convict. I am confident the vote total will fall well short of that, leaving President Trump in office and hopefully putting this sad episode behind us for good. The missed opportunities caused by this years-long distraction are just as important as the direct effects it’s had. The rules of the Senate do not allow for floor debate of any matter while the impeachment trial is taking place. Meaning, the USMCA trade deal and important legislation to address the country’s infrastructure needs, drug prices, education, and maintaining our historic economic success are put on hold. The true needs of over 330 million Americans will continue to take a backseat while Democrats seek vengeance for President Trump’s inexcusable crime of winning the 2016 election. |