Category: Impeachment

Senate Republicans officially vote five more times for a cover up

Posted on by Joan McCarter

After a parliamentary inquiry from Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to Chief Justice John Roberts as to whether he was aware that presiding judge Salmon Chase broke ties in the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson, and Roberts said yes he was but he wasn't going to be doing that, the Senate Republicans killed the last-ditch efforts by Democrats to stop this cover-up of an impeachment trial.

The first was an amendment to subpoena Mick Mulvaney, John Bolton, Michael Duffey and Robert Blair as well as documents from White House, OMB and the Defense and State Departments, the Senate Republicans voted to table it unanimously and it failed 53-47. On the second amendment, to subpoena John Bolton, Republicans Susan Collins and Mitt Romney voted with Democrats, but it was still killed, 51-49. The third amendment was to both subpoena Bolton and further that he be deposed in a session presided over by Roberts, then requiring one day for live testimony before the Senate within the next five days. Again Collins and Romney voted with Democrats, but this amendment was also killed 51-49. The final amendment was Sen. Chris Van Hollen's amendment to require that Roberts rule on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents, and to rule on any assertions from Trump of privilege. Chief Snowflake Roberts was defended unanimously by Republicans, and they killed that one 53-47. The underlying resolution governing the remainder of the trial passed again on a party-line vote of 53-47.

We have to end their stranglehold on the republic. Please give $1 to our nominee fund to help Democrats and end McConnell's career as majority leader.

Impeachment trial/Republican cover-up reaches key decision point: Live coverage #5

Posted on by Laura Clawson

After a day of procedural debate and voting, six days of opening arguments, and two days of question and answer, the impeachment trial of Donald Trump could conclude Friday with debate followed by Republicans voting to end the trial and cover up Trump’s abuses of power. But Democrats will be keeping up the fight for a fair trial.

Saturday, Feb 1, 2020 · 12:19:16 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

We’re back in business for the evening. The schedule is pretty much as expected, with 4 amendments tonight, all debate on Monday, and nothing but the vote on Wednesday afternoon.

Schumer asks Roberts if he will break ties, reminding him of votes in the Johnson impeachment. Roberts makes it clear he will not break ties. Which has to make McConnell ecstatic.

Saturday, Feb 1, 2020 · 12:21:02 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

First amendment

Schumer sends an amendment to subpoena the requested four witnesses: Mulvaney, Bolton, Duffey and Blair, along with documents. Which will probably end up with exactly the same vote count as the last call for witnesses.

I’m not sure of the strategy, if there is one, for making Republicans go on record concerning witnesses and documents when they just did so. I’m sure there is a strategy. Or at least … I think I am.

McConnell immediately moves to table the amendment without debate, which appears to be part of the agreement. If so, we’re going to get through these in a big hurry.

Saturday, Feb 1, 2020 · 12:28:24 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

The first amendment is tabled 53-47, so not a single Republican went along.

Next amendment from Schumer is to subpoena John Bolton. And again, I am completely unclear whey, having lost the fight to get witnesses, and then fought to get an opportunity to offer four amendments, all of them seem related to making Republican senators repeat the vote they already made.

Saturday, Feb 1, 2020 · 12:34:07 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

And the amendment to subpoena just Bolton goes down 51-49.

Not only can I not see the point of these amendments, I can’t see why Schumer bothered to ask Roberts about ties. Because it seems obvious the amendments so far would attract less Republican support than a general vote on witnesses.

Saturday, Feb 1, 2020 · 12:36:33 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner Third amendment from Schumer is to subpoena John Bolton, but this time with limits of one day for deposition and one day for live testimony. Dammit. I’m not going to get any censure votes or sense of the Senate votes.  Saturday, Feb 1, 2020 · 12:38:10 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

I always have hopes that Inhofe or Kennedy will forget which way to vote.

Saturday, Feb 1, 2020 · 12:40:15 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

x

Saturday, Feb 1, 2020 · 12:44:36 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

The third amendment is tabled: 51-49.

The final motion is from Van Hollen, it is to have Roberts rule on subpoenas offered by a senator, and to have Roberts rule on assertions of privilege and … again, I do not get it.

There are so many other things that could have been done with those four amendments. Sigh.

Saturday, Feb 1, 2020 · 12:50:17 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

And the last of the four amendments is tabled 53-47.

Did we get a vote on censure of Trump? We did not.

Did we get an acknowledgement of any form that Cipollone has been engaged in deeply deceptive malpractice? Nope.

Did we force Republicans to agree that the House managers had proved their case. Not that either.

Why not? Why blow all four amendments flailing at the same thing. Hell, if I was a Republican senator, I’d have been tempted to let VanHollen’s amendment pass, for all the good it would do.

Saturday, Feb 1, 2020 · 12:53:49 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

Well that was a deeply frustrating hour that could have been more profitably occupied with a kazoo concert.

Saturday, Feb 1, 2020 · 1:00:45 AM +00:00 · Mark Sumner

We’re voting now on the resolution that McConnell introduced that schedules out the remaining time. Which can be expected to be pass along the same partisan lines.

And it passes 53-47. 

McConnell offers a series of proposals that carry things to Monday. So … that’s it. The end of this thing is lined out for Monday and Wednesday. See you then.

What Senate’s rejection of witnesses means for Trump impeachment trial

Posted on by PBS NewsHour - Politics
A majority of the Senate voted Friday not to allow witnesses in President Trump's impeachment trial. As a result, the proceedings will likely end soon with his acquittal -- despite new reports about potentially relevant information former National Security Adviser John Bolton could share if subpoenaed. Nick Schifrin reports, and Lisa Desjardins and Yamiche Alcindor join Judy Woodruff to discuss.

David Brooks and Ruth Marcus on Senate’s witness vote, Sanders’ surge

Posted on by PBS NewsHour - Politics
New York Times columnist David Brooks and Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week's political news, including the Senate's decision not to call witnesses in President Trump's impeachment trial, Republicans' varying defenses of Trump's conduct around Ukraine and what recent polling trends among 2020 Democrats suggest about Monday's Iowa caucuses.

Barbra Streisand Endorses Adam Schiff For President

Posted on by LifeZette

By PopZette Staff | January 31, 2020

It’s always unfortunate when a celebrity who is well respected for their talents in the entertainment industry ruins their image by spouting off publicly about their ignorant political views. This is sadly exactly what the legendary singer and actress Barbra Streisand has done in recent years, as she now seems to prefer bashing President Donald Trump to performing.

Streisand once again showed the world that she’s nothing more than an ignorant member of Hollywood’s liberal elite on Friday, when she took to Twitter to say that she believes the anti-Trump crusader Adam Schiff (D-CA) would make a “great president.”

Related: Trump Wins Witness Vote 51-49, Acquittal Looks Solid

“Adam Schiff is so impressive. His knowledge of the law… his passion… his articulateness. His sincerity!” Streisand tweeted.  “He speaks the truth and would make a great president.”

It should be noted that Schiff is one of the main people responsible for wasting the time and money of American taxpayers with this impeachment farce. Schiff knew full well that Trump would never actually be impeached by the Republican-controlled Senate, yet he decided push forward with the impeachment trial anyway just because of his own personal hatred for the president.

Unlike Streisand, most Americans see right through Schiff, as recent YouGov data shows that just 27 percent of Americans have a positive view of him. Since Trump’s approval rating is currently at 39 percent, it appears that Schiff’s chances of beating him in a presidential election would be slim, even with Streisand’s endorsement.

RELATED: Ilhan Omar Launches Bill To Stop Trump From Carrying Out ‘Muslim Ban’

This serves as a reminder of just how out of touch Streisand and her fellow members of the Hollywood elite are with the struggles of the working class Americans that Trump has been helping. As someone who has been overpaid by the entertainment world for decades, Streisand never has to worry about being impacted negatively by the economic policies of a president. That’s why she is so quick to hop on the radically leftist bandwagon: she doesn’t have a horse in this race!

The more ignorant Hollywood celebrities like Streisand try and take Trump down, the more the rest of us are reminded why we need him in office more than ever.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

Read more at LifeZette:
Republican Lawmaker Launches Bill To Officially Classify CNN And Washington Post As ‘Fake News’
Fox Refuses To Air Super Bowl Ad About Abortion Survivors – Greenlights Commercial Featuring Drag Queens
Meghan McCain Breaks Her Silence About Feud With Whoopi Goldberg After Being Told To ‘Please Stop Talking’

The post Barbra Streisand Endorses Adam Schiff For President appeared first on The Political Insider.

Republicans have hell to pay for torching our republic. Make. Them. Pay. NOW

Posted on (Updated by David Nir

It is darkness in the daytime, and the only light is cast by the bonfire of despotism into which the Republican Party is pitching our Constitution.

Donald Trump has transgressed two of the oldest and gravest injunctions known to humankind—thou shalt not steal and thou shalt not bear false witness—and Republican senators have admitted that he is guilty.

But for all their professed fealty to tradition, to law and order, to knowing right from wrong, they simply do not care. They have decided that it’s not against the law to commit a crime, so long as the wicked leader of their death cult is the criminal.

A reckoning is now due. The Republicans in the Senate have shown us that they will not deliver justice, so we must deliver justice ourselves.

While Republicans have confessed they will do everything in their power to rig these next elections, we must do everything in our power to ensure that they are free, that they are fair, and that Republicans lose—as badly as possible.

Let us show just how serious we are. We can contribute today to help unseat the most vulnerable Republican senators come November. The more we give, the greater the fear we will instill in them, and the more likely we are to prevail.

We are disgusted, we are dismayed, we are filled with sorrow. But we are also very, very angry, and we must channel that anger. Republicans want to put our democracy to the torch, but together we can douse those flames and build anew.

Please, give whatever you can right now. The future of our dear republic depends on it.