Impeachment Trial Looms Over 2020 Election Year as Pelosi Plays Wait-and-See, or Is It Hide-and-Seek?
WASHINGTON – This will no doubt be a historic year as an impeachment trial looms over the upcoming presidential election.
Right now, the big question is when or even if the Senate will receive the articles of impeachment from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who is hanging onto the articles at the moment.
The hold-up is she wants to see how the Senate plans to proceed with the trial's rules, but President Trump says it's because Democrats don't have a case against him.
Trump kicked off the New Year saying "he's ready" for the showdown, taking aim at Pelosi.
"She hates the Republican Party, she hates all the people that voted for me," Trump said.
Remember when Pelosi was screaming that President Trump is a danger to our nation and we must move quickly. They didn't get one Republican House vote, and lost 3 Dems. They produced no case so now she doesn't want to go to the Senate. She's all lies. Most overrated person I know!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2019
Pelosi pushed back in a letter to House Democrats writing "it now remains for the Senate to present the rules under which we will proceed."
This was in response to news that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pledged total coordination with the White House.
A move that was even criticized by some Republican lawmakers.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said: "there should be distance between the white house and senate over the impeachment proceedings."
"It is inappropriate in my judgment for senators on either side of the aisle to prejudge the evidence," said Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).
This, as the president's lawyer, said he is willing to testify and would "love to try the case."
"I would testify. I would do demonstrations. I'd give lectures. I'd give summations or I do what I do best," said Rudy Giuliani.
A key question is will the trial include witnesses? Democrats have been pushing to hear from White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
McConnell needs to get 51 of the 53 Senate Republicans to vote his way which would allow the GOP to control the process and call who they want.