Patriots Impeachment Weekly Wrap-Up: Hurry Up And Wait

https://dailycaller.com/2019/12/27/patriots-impeachment-wrap-week-9/

After weeks of hurriedly ramming impeachment proceedings through Congress, House Democrats brought the entire process to a grinding halt just before Christmas.

Despite insisting that any delays would necessarily result in the absolute destruction of our democracy — or, as House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff claimed, give President Donald Trump the opportunity to cheat in another election — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi jammed on the brakes just before Christmas, refusing to send the House-adopted articles of impeachment on to the Senate until she was satisfied that any Senate trial would meet her definition of “fair.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was unperturbed, laughing at House Democrats and accusing them of developing “cold feet,” and adding that it would be “fine” with him if the articles never made it to the Senate.

As always, the Daily Caller wades through the most recent stories to break down the most important details and new information.

The key players:

Speaker Pelosi is maintaining her position, saying that the House will not send the articles or choose impeachment managers until she is satisfied with the way the Senate plans to proceed.

The House cannot choose our impeachment managers until we know what sort of trial the Senate will conduct.

President Trump blocked his own witnesses and documents from the House, and from the American people, on phony complaints about the House process. What is his excuse now?

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) December 23, 2019

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer released a list of demands — including documents and witnesses — for a Senate trial.

Here are the specific documents we will need to ensure a fair Senate impeachment trial.

The email from Michael Duffey shows why it is so important for the White House to produce the requested documents and let witnesses testify under oath. pic.twitter.com/ziO4jHKABo

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) December 23, 2019

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham called on Pelosi to send the articles, reminding her that she was not in charge of the Senate and could not dictate their response.

It’s time for @SpeakerPelosi, who claimed impeachment was a national imperative, to fish or cut bait.

Commit to sending the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate consistent with Constitutional obligations. https://t.co/QpSptWm34F

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 23, 2019

If she refuses, Senate Republicans should take matters into our own hands. We are in charge of the Senate — not Pelosi or Schumer.

Speaker Pelosi’s actions are an affront to the Constitution, the Senate, and denies President @realDonaldTrump his day in court.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 23, 2019

This case should mirror the process used in the Clinton impeachment and should come to an end in weeks, not months.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 23, 2019

The White House response:

President Trump has continued to fire from all cylinders, often taking to Twitter to voice his displeasure with Speaker Pelosi and the “do nothing Democrats.”

Why should Crazy Nancy Pelosi, just because she has a slight majority in the House, be allowed to Impeach the President of the United States? Got ZERO Republican votes, there was no crime, the call with Ukraine was perfect, with “no pressure.” She said it must be “bipartisan…

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2019

…& overwhelming,” but this Scam Impeachment was neither. Also, very unfair with no Due Process, proper representation, or witnesses. Now Pelosi is demanding everything the Republicans weren’t allowed to have in the House. Dems want to run majority Republican Senate. Hypocrites!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2019

Despite all of the great success that our Country has had over the last 3 years, it makes it much more difficult to deal with foreign leaders (and others) when I am having to constantly defend myself against the Do Nothing Democrats & their bogus Impeachment Scam. Bad for USA!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2019

Often quoting his own defenders, Trump cited Karl Rove among others who criticized Pelosi’s continued efforts to stall her once-rushed impeachment efforts.

“Nancy Pelosi is trying to usurp the Constitutional role of the Senate. The longer this goes on, the more petty, partisan & political it all looks.” @KarlRove @FoxNews Just more of the same from the Do Nothing Dems. Nancy should be helping the record number of homeless in her D!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2019

“Pelosi’s stall tactics expose the weakness of Democrat’s impeachment case.” @GreggJarrett @FoxNews

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2019

“Democrats repeatedly claimed impeachment was an urgent matter, but now Nancy Pelosi uses stall tactics to obstruct the Senate.” @replouiegohmert @HeyTammyBruce @FoxNews It’s all part of the Impeachment Hoax!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2019

The hot takes:

Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski admitted that she was “disturbed” by the way McConnell appeared to be handling things — and although a number of outlets ran with just that headlined, she was also highly critical of a House process she called “rushed,” noting that Democrats were demanding that the Senate step in and make up for deficiencies in the evidence they had gathered.

Lisa Murkowski, swing GOP vote, says she’s “disturbed“ by McConnell coordination with WH for Trump trial. “When I heard that I was disturbed. .. To me it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense.” https://t.co/RE2qCWbevZ

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) December 25, 2019

McConnell’s hometown newspaper published an op-ed criticizing him for not being “impartial.”

In Sen. McConnell’s hometown newspaper, the majority leader was panned in a scathing op-ed criticizing him for not being “impartial” or treating impeachment with “gravity.” https://t.co/uYKWULWuew

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) December 27, 2019

Graham called on Pelosi to “end this debacle” and transmit the articles, adding a note to Schumer as well: “stop playing games with the presidency.”

???? @SpeakerPelosi end this debacle and send the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.

???? @SenSchumer stop playing games with the presidency.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 27, 2019

Public response:

Five Thirty-Eight’s overall poll tracking, including a number of polls taken December 22-24 that asked simple yes-or-no questions about impeachment and/or removal from office, indicates that 49% of Americans support impeachment (41% disapprove) and 44% support removal from office (41% disapprove of that as well).

The partisan breakdown is clear: just 10% of Republicans support impeachment and 7% support removal from office. Among Democrats, support for impeachment is at 82% while 78% support removal. Independents take up the middle ground, with 43% supporting impeachment (38% disapprove) and 40% supporting removal (with 39% opposed).

Check back next week for the latest up-to-the-minute information, commentary and related content.