A thread by Andy Rowell
It would take 20 of 53 Republican Senators to convict Trump of impeachment charges. 22 voted against his wrongdoing at least once (of 3 instances) in 2019. Recall Jeff Sessions was the only Republican senator who endorsed Trump in the 2016 Republican primary. They know he's bad.
Andy Rowell@AndyRowellMarch 2019
"National emergency Senate vote count: Twelve Republicans joined Democrats to vote against the president's unilateral move to fund his border wall."
Andy Rowell@AndyRowell22:
Lamar Alexander
Roy Blunt
John Boozman
Susan Collins
Tom Cotton
Steve Daines
Cory Gardner
Lindsey Graham
Josh Hawley
John Kennedy
Mike Lee
Martha McSally
Jerry Moran
Lisa Murkowski
Rand Paul
Rob Portman
Mitt Romney
Marco Rubio
Ben Sasse
Pat Toomey
Roger Wicker
Todd Young
Impeachment is first a technical or legal issue.
Constitution: "The President, Vice President and all Civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."
But there is also the political calculation whether 1/2 the House AND 2/3 of the Senate would consider voting for impeachment. This counting votes and building support and revision is similar to the interpersonal process that occurs when Congress considers any legislation. The House could vote to impeach many times and have numerous Senate trials (with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presiding) if the Senate did not convict the first time. Technical / legal reasons for impeachment to explore:
1. Treason
Thread:
2. Bribery
Thread:
3. High Crimes and Misdemeanors
Using presidential power to impede (obstruct) investigation of himself and offering pardons as bribes.
Andy Rowell@AndyRowell22:
Lamar Alexander
Roy Blunt
John Boozman
Susan Collins
Tom Cotton
Steve Daines
Cory Gardner
Lindsey Graham
Josh Hawley
John Kennedy
Mike Lee
Martha McSally
Jerry Moran
Lisa Murkowski
Rand Paul
Rob Portman
Mitt Romney
Marco Rubio
Ben Sasse
Pat Toomey
Roger Wicker
Todd Young
Andy Rowell@AndyRowellData point for whether there would be 20 Republican Senators who would convict to impeach for "treason," after Helsinki, @EKamarck on July 19, 2018:
"14 Republican Senators condemned Trump specifically . . . . Another 24 condemned Putin." https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2018/07/19/after-helsinki-can-trump-count-on-protection-from-the-gop-senate/ …After Helsinki, can Trump count on protection from the GOP Senate?
A Republican-supported vote to convict Trump in the Senate if articles of impeachment pass the House wouldn't be out of the question in the next Congress.
brookings.edu
Andy Rowell@AndyRowellInvestigative journalists should not have to uncover every instance of bribery and foreign emoluments, then Congress investigates, then public pressure mounts for the politician to resign.
If you don't want to be transparent about your finances, you can't serve in federal office.
Andy Rowell@AndyRowellIn summary, it is unconstitutional and impeachable for President Trump to not be transparent with Congress about any financial records he has that may have to do with bribery or foreign emoluments. Congress should subpoena and fight for all current and relevant past records.
And again, impeachment is not necessarily partisan.
If a Republican president is impeached, the Republican vice-president would replace him.
Republicans could decide this is best for them as a party.
Andy Rowell@AndyRowellImpeachment is not necessarily partisan. Impeach a Republican president and you get a Republican president. Impeachment is much less invasive than the Electoral College, which was supposed to prevent terrible presidents but no longer functions as designed.
Andy Rowell@AndyRowellI continue to think about how impeachment and conviction and removal of a President need not be partisan because the Vice-President who is of the same party becomes president.
Pence and sensible Republicans could have long ago made the decision that impeaching Trump was best.
Andy Rowell@AndyRowell22 Republican Senators who opposed Trump on big votes in 2019. With damning financial evidence, 20 might convict Trump and promote Pence to president. Maybe the momentum would shift the vote to 100-0.
But only Collins and Moran voted against Trump on all three of these issues.
Andy Rowell@AndyRowellI continue to try to emphasize that conviction and impeachment of a president is not a partisan move in that a person of the same party remains president. Republicans might do this in their own self-interest.
September 25
If you're not following the news, as of tonight, it is somewhat likely President Trump will be impeached by the House by the end of the year. Speaker Pelosi announced yesterday that articles of impeachment would be drafted. A majority of the House as of today have said they approve of the impeachment investigation. A majority of the House is needed to impeach. But that in itself is just a symbolic denunciation.
It is unlikely that 20 Republican Senators will join the 47 Democrats and Independents to convict him and remove him from office (2/3 vote needed) and elevate Vice-President Pence to the presidency. Twenty-two Republican Senators have opposed Trump on major constitutional or national security votes in 2019. Four of those (Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, Susan Collins, and Pat Toomey) have today expressed their concern with Trump's asking for investigations into his political opponents. Eleven Republican Senators voted today against the emergency declaration at the border. But it is still very unlikely there will be 20 who would vote to remove him.
A thread by Andy Rowell
Ukraine is just one typical high crime. The habit of using presidential power to pressure people to do illegal favors for his personal benefit rather than the nation's benefit by threatening or bribing them is the common thread with Ukraine, Comey, Cohen, McGahn, and Lewandowski. Impeachment is the only way to restrain a president, who uses illegal means to become president (campaign finance law), has presidential exemption from being indicted, uses presidential power to control staff, presidential pardon to bribe, and presidential privilege to be secret.
Previous comments on Facebook about impeachment:
