Recently, Harvard Law School Professor Laurence Tribe suggested a brilliant impeachment strategy for House Democrats: withholding the articles of impeachment from the Senate until Mitch McConnell accepts Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats’ terms (which are basically let Senate Democrats run everything).
BREAKING NEWS: Schumer’s proposal to McConnell. If he rejects these reasonable ground rules & insists on a non-trial, the House should consider treating that as a breach of the Senate’s oath & withholding the Articles until the Senate reconsidershttps://t.co/a9zbBywFBG
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) December 16, 2019
By “withholding” the Articles I don’t mean not voting for them — I mean voting for them but holding off on transmitting them to the Senate. https://t.co/w8uBMTGIlT
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) December 16, 2019
Tribe even wrote an op-ed about it:
You might want to check out my op-ed in today’s Washington Post. Spoiler alert: It’s about impeachment. https://t.co/N0K05Jwgvh
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) December 17, 2019
How do we know this is a brilliant impeachment strategy? Because none other than Newsweek columnist Seth Abramson, king of the rambling, incoherent thread, is pushing the same strategy:
BREAKING (MSNBC): U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) Floats Idea of House Not Sending Articles of Impeachment to Senate Unless GOP Agrees to Actual Trial*
* = I increasingly concur with this sentiment.
— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) December 17, 2019
Of course Seth concurs with it.
1/ Imagine how *angry* Trump would be if he never got his "show-trial exoneration" because he refused to let his own officials testify under circumstances in which he's *sworn* that no one could possibly have damning evidence against him*. OK, sorry then, no Senate trial for you.
— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) December 17, 2019
Recommended
2/ As I said earlier today: you don't negotiate over *how many punches in the face you're going to take*; you *exit the ring*. If the Senate refuses to have a trial, there's no one and nothing for House Democrats to hand over the articles of impeachment to. It's that simple, now.
— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) December 17, 2019
3/ Investigations are still ongoing. Court proceedings are still ongoing. Moderate GOP senators have more or less made clear that they don't want a trial. OK then, you don't get the articles. The investigations and court proceedings will continue. It's a very reasonable position.
— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) December 17, 2019
4/ Mitch McConnell may not realize it right now, but for all that he thinks he's negotiating with Trump or Schumer right now and has the upper hand in those negotiations he is not and he doesn't.
Nancy Pelosi has and controls the articles. As of tomorrow *she* has all the power.
— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) December 17, 2019
Yes, Nancy Pelosi clearly has all the power. Which is why she dragged her feet on impeachment and only reluctantly agreed to proceed and now House Democrats are finding new ways to beclown themselves on a daily basis.
You've said before the Senate impeachment trial would be a vote on whether to abolish the Impeachment Clause. Doesn't this position that if moderate GOP senators don't want a trial, the then they won't get articles, basically do the same? https://t.co/VPA7Cgp6QN
— Theon Legolas (@PrologueBlack) December 17, 2019
5/ This is a very fair question. I'd answer this way: I am not saying and do not support the articles being held back forever. I think Pelosi and McConnell should negotiate for a few weeks or months and the investigations should, in the meantime, continue. https://t.co/LoOyG9L411
— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) December 17, 2019
Yep! Hold them back juuuuuust long enough to interfere with Senate Democratic presidential candidates’ campaign schedules. This guy … we swear. We can only assume he expects us to take him seriously, but come on.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA https://t.co/M2TN7Adh5c
— RBe (@RBPundit) December 17, 2019
We can’t help but laugh.
I urged this idea in my Washington Post op-ed this morning ⬇️ https://t.co/450hITXs5d
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) December 17, 2019
Calling this the @tribelaw option, and it now has legs. https://t.co/z45V19rUnU https://t.co/0C8pIN4KaZ
— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) December 17, 2019
“Legs.”
Legs, yes, @JoyAnnReid. Now it just needs fuel. https://t.co/sCENVmpx3P
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) December 17, 2019
Does hot air count as fuel? Because there’s no shortage of that.
Look out! Laurence Tribe AND Seth Abramson are on board! pic.twitter.com/A0nMTYZnkb
— BT (@back_ttys) December 17, 2019
There's nowhere to hide, Moscow Mitch! Tribe and Abramson have you cornered! Checkmate!https://t.co/cfyDbWPXAb
— BT (@back_ttys) December 17, 2019
Join the conversation as a VIP Member