The cover of TIME magazine depicts Donald Trump painting himself into a corner, which is a pretty apt way to visualize the president’s current predicament.
Having made enough enemies to fill a Rolodex, and having inexplicably decided to release the evidence of his latest attempt to invite a foreign government to interfere with a US presidential election, Trump has forced Democrats to launch a formal impeachment inquiry, despite Nancy Pelosi being famously reluctant to go that route.
Over the past 72 or so hours, Trump appears to have realized that releasing a reconstructed version of his July 25 phone call with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky was a potentially disastrous miscalculation, as it backed up the allegations in the whistle-blower complaint. Now, Trump has seemingly decided that the only way to save himself is to execute “spies” and arrest Democrats for treason. (It’s funny, but it’s not funny – much like this whole presidency.)
Read more: Trump Threatens To Have Adam Schiff Arrested For Treason (No, Really)
The only way this doesn’t end in Trump banning the Democratic party, “disappearing” the “spies” and rounding up the “traitors” for sham trials presided over by an intoxicated Brett Kavanaugh, is if Mitch McConnell steps in to save the day for the White House averting the “civil war” conditions Trump suggested on Sunday might be in the offing.
Unfortunately, Mitch doesn’t sound like he’s going to be much help this time around.
“I would have no choice but to take it up”, McConnell told CNBC on Monday, asked whether there was any way he could avoid moving ahead with impeachment if the House so votes.
“How long you are on it is a different matter, but I would have no choice but to take it up based on a Senate rule on impeachment”, he reiterated, employing his signature deadpan.
So, that’s that, apparently. Because in all likelihood, the House will eventually get to a full chamber vote.
McConnell wouldn’t specifically address Trump’s dozens of foreboding tweets sent out in maniacal bursts over the past two days.
Needless to say, it seems highly unlikely that this president will sit idly by as the process moves along. The only question is what lengths Trump is willing to go to in order to stymie it.
Seems to me the GOP should want the House impeachment to get done ASAP so that the Senate can acquit ASAP, before more damaging stuff comes out or Trump spirals further out of control.
At this point, I have a very hard time imagining that 2/3 of the Senate will vote to convict – no secret ballots allowed.
From McConnell’s point of view, a speedy trial followed by acquittal is preferable to fighting to block an impeachment trial and potentially being forced to allow that trial later when the situation is worse.
Holy shit, if there was ever a time to use the word ‘ghastly’, it’s right now to describe Mitch’s face.
Another view for this situation is that the POTUS is out of bullets. No wall. Economy slowing. Fed can’t do anything to provide serious help. Healthcare not fixed. GOP lost house. Ratings going down. He can’t quit but this whole gig isn’t any fun anymore. So why not set up major victimhood and let himself be “driven from office” by “traitors.” His rep stays good. Taxes are already fixed in his favor. No one’s seen his financials. If he’s out they never will. The deal will be he’ll leave office in exchange for blanket immunity. You heard it here first.
NY AG isn’t going to give immunity from state charges.
I really hope if this deal is offered the Democrats do not take it. That’s pretty much the death knell of any shot we’ll have anything resembling justice in the future. It’ll just be people playing emperor from here on out.
It goes back to a question I have been asking all Drumpf sycophants and MAGA-ragers – just what exactly has this clown delivered of substance during his “best presidency ever”?
Mitch and the GOP have been hanging on to Trump’s coattails since the election hoping there’s enough right-wing idiots out there to win elections in perpetuity. The look on his face may be the realization that that was a minor miscalculation coming home to roost. Hopefully we’ve seen the last of Mitch as well.
I doubt it. What he lacks in integrity, he makes up for it in something. There’s a reason guys like this slither around far longer than you think they could/should.
What happened to the story about his wife pushing deals to her family in China, who also loaned and donated funds to her and Mitch’s campaigns?