House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is reportedly considering withholding articles of impeachment from the U.S. Senate, which would delay the Senate trial, because she is concerned that Republicans would be too biased and would not hold a fair trial.
“So far we haven’t seen anything that looks fair to us,” Pelosi told reporters following the Democrats’ purely partisan impeachment. “That would’ve been our intention, but we’ll see what happens over there.”
“Pelosi’s comments, which echo suggestions raised by other Democrats throughout the day, inject new uncertainty into the impeachment timetable and send the House and Senate lurching toward a potential institutional crisis,” Politico reported. “Though the House adopted two articles of impeachment charging Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of congressional investigations, it must pass a second resolution formally naming impeachment managers to present the case in the Senate. That second vehicle triggers the official transmission of articles to the Senate.”
Pelosi indicates the House may hold the articles of impeachment and not send then to the Senate until it’s understood the Senate will conduct a fair trial
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 19, 2019
“In 1998, minutes after the House impeached President [Clinton], the House approved a secondary resolution which dispatched the articles of impeachment, plus the impeachment managers to the Senate. Nobody thought much about it,” Fox News reporter Chad Pergram tweeted, adding, “Pelosi is always deft at finding a wedge. So she’s willing to hold onto the articles of impeachment to see if McConnell/Schumer can come to an agreement for a fair trial – and not tilt the field toward the President in the GOP-controlled Senate.”
Pelosi’s suggestion that Republicans might not be fair in an impeachment trial comes after Democrats held secret hearings for weeks to develop the basis for their impeachment attempt and, according to Republicans, selectively leaked portions of the depositions to the media that were beneficial for advancing the Democrats’ narrative.
Pergram added, “Some polling reveals that impeachment is really hurting Democrats. Perhaps this was Pelosi’s gambit all along. Impeach the President. Take a stand for the Constitution. But apply an emergency hand brake on impeachment by not sending the articles to the Senate.”
8) Some polling reveals that impeachment is really hurting Democrats. Perhaps this was Pelosi’s gambit all along. Impeach the President. Take a stand for the Constitution. But apply an emergency hand brake on impeachment by not sending the articles to the Senate.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) December 19, 2019
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) responded to the news by writing on Twitter, “After Pelosi put our country through all of this impeachment nonsense, it’s crazy she is now considering destructively stalling and prolonging the pain for Americans. We should be healing and she would instead be pouring salt on the wounds she created.”
After Pelosi put our country through all of this impeachment nonsense, it’s crazy she is now considering destructively stalling and prolonging the pain for Americans. We should be healing and she would instead be pouring salt on the wounds she created.
— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) December 19, 2019
Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters, “I’m not an impartial juror. This is a political process. There’s not anything judicial about it. The House made a partisan political decision to impeach. I would anticipate we will have a largely partisan outcome in the Senate. I’m not impartial about this at all.”
Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer wrote: “What a farce, a total farce. I thought Trump had [to be] removed to save the Republic. For this to even be possible shows what a game this has been for the [Democrats] all along.”
Federalist co-founder Ben Domenech tweeted: “What Pelosi wants to avoid is the outcome of any trial in the Senate: a bipartisan vote to acquit.”
What Pelosi wants to avoid is the outcome of any trial in the Senate: a bipartisan vote to acquit.
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) December 19, 2019
This story has been updated to include additional information.