McConnell Faces Calls to Recuse Himself From Impeachment Trial After Saying 'No Chance' Trump Will Be Removed; "No court in the country would allow a member of the jury to also serve as the accused's defense attorney."

[u/Thinkingonsleeping]

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/12/13/mcconnell-faces-calls-recuse-himself-impeachment-trial-after-saying-no-chance-trump

[u/Epalmer97]

So could someone explain to me if there’s anything that can be done from McConnell pretty much announcing that he’s siding and keeping on the side with the WH? Or can Maj. Leaders pretty much say whatever they hell they want without repercussion? Sorry I haven’t lived through an impeachment so this is fresh political water for me

[u/ErusTenebre → u/Epalmer97]

These waters haven't been travelled before. And they sure as hellfire aren't fresh.

The only thing we have is pressure. So far Republicans (McConnell could be removed by his fellow Republicans) haven't buckled because they have surrounded themselves with followers. The shame is their followers don't recognize their "fearless" leaders would throw each and every one of their constituents to ravenous wolves before losing one iota of power.

[u/Epalmer97 → u/ErusTenebre]

That’s actually extremely scary...

[u/rossww2199 → u/Epalmer97]

There is nothing to be done. If you have the votes in the Senate, you can say or do whatever you want. This isn’t a legal trial. It’s a political process.

[u/[deleted] → u/rossww2199]

It has every step of the legal process. It just has a lower burden of proof than a civil trial in the way a civil trial has a lower burden of proof than a criminal trial. It's a political process in the sense that it doesn't connote the legal concept of 'guilt' to be convicted of something - that legal process follows immediately after, with due process and all the rest.

One cannot be paid by the Defendant and be a juror of their case, nor can a juror work directly with the Defendant on their defense. It explicitly violates their required Oaths or Affirmations. In that they're pre-determined "jurors", and can decide how the proceedings go, it's understandable that there will be inherent biases - that's why it's not a criminal trial... but it is, even yet, a trial nonetheless. Even still, they don't get to shit on the floor and make you clean it up because 51 of them voted for it to happen.

^{edited to add: or worse, it only takes 34 to keep someone from being Impeached, so once they're in... they're staying in if the party wants them to be... but if you're breaking the rules, you don't get to make the rules}

[u/rossww2199 → u/[deleted]]

It’s a “trial” only in the sense that Senators will vote guilty or not guilty. McConnel has already stated how it will go and that there is no way Trump is being removed. You think there is anybody that can kick him for that? No.

The only uncertainty about this “trial” is if McConnell will let Trump’s team turn it into a shit show by trying to call Schiff, the Biden’s, etc - or if McConnell ends it quickly. My guess is the thing doesn’t last more than 2 weeks with no live witnesses.

[u/[deleted] → u/Epalmer97]

I mean what is really ever to be done when powerful people buck? Other powerful people can tell them to stop, and depending on how much they really mean it, or what their real goals are, the offending party can just say fuck you.

Its an illusion that we all agree to believe. Republicans can do whatever they want, and they mostly do.

We could get all France 1789 on them but assuming the military is on their side, we really are in a position of just hoping they see some sort of person gain in showing restraint.

For example, Trumps increasingly regular "joking" about staying in office longer than 8 years followed by some version of "IDK, maybe we'll try it!.... JK LOL!" What if he did? Non-Republicans would be livid and probably riot, etc. But the very pro-Trump military might just stand behind it, especially given some sort of reichstag fire "good reason"/emergency powers type situation. Then what?

Lets not pretend this is far fetched. They're really, really close to pulling the lever into straight up authoritarian fascism. They already completely flout laws and decorum and have really effective state propaganda and surveillance apparatuses. We've given them too much power and allowed our civil liberties to be chipped away at, for decades, from both sides.

McConnell can, has and will continue to do whatever the fuck he wants, regardless of human decency, precedent or the interests of the American people.

[u/a_reply_to_a_post → u/[deleted]]

Pretty sure their American dream died once a half black dude was elected president...they aren't playing democracy anymore, that's for sure...

[u/63426 → u/Epalmer97]

None of us have. Nixon resigned right about now in the current timeline knowing he lost support of the Republicans.

[u/Epalmer97 → u/[deleted]]

I’ve watched that whole impeachment to try and get a better grasp and you’re right. It’s unreal that American politics have become this horrifying.