Impeachment? Maybe not.

CHARLIE MARTIN:

“…But now consider what happens if they do prepare Articles and have them actually voted out of the House. (Which isn’t actually a foregone conclusion given the polling.)

They have to go to trial in the Republican-dominated Senate. Where Eric Ciaramella can be called for public testimony under oath. Where Alex Vindman can be challenged by a former JAG about his violations of the UCMJ. Where people can be called to testify in public what they’ve said in the Star Chamber: that Ukraine never knew about aid being suspended, and that the president of Ukraine denies any pressure. And where House Members can’t be threatened with ethics complaints for asking inconvenient questions.

Where what already looks like a shady investigation of a made-up crime can’t be controlled.

My guess is that this will hang on until after Thanksgiving, especially if the ICIG report comes out. Then they will announce in high dudgeon that because of GOP obstruction and the risk to the (still “secret”) whistleblower, along with the proximity to the election, they can’t press on in the Senate where the evil Mitch McConnell will drag out the trial and thwart the will of the People.

They might even try to continue the “inquiry” into the New Year, although the risk grows every day that Republicans will start leaking seriously, or filing more ethics complains against the Democrats — or, of course, starting subpoenas in the Senate.

But an actual impeachment trial? They can’t risk it…”

Original

Doug Santo