Jeff Flake: There are 75 votes in the Senate to remove Trump if they use a secret ballot.

[triron]

Link to tweet

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Grow a pair and make your votes public, GOPers.

[dewsgirl]

12. The OP didn't include it, but SA created the thread after some

jerk is openly threatening any Republican Senator that votes for impeachment.

[pnwmom]

24. I'd rather have him convicted by a secret ballot, approved because a majority

of Senators were concerned about tampering and intimidation.

[KPN]

27. I agree. If that's what it takes to get him removed, definitely.

[zentrum]

30. Yup.

[mitch96]

51. You know McTurttle won't have a secret ballot. Got to protect the prez don't cha know.... nt

[Dem4Life1102]

38. Is the goal to remove Trump or

to shame republicans?

[New Breed Leader]

3. Don't play with my emotions, man.

[stopdiggin]

4. NOPE

pure fantasy. let's see a list.

[TwilightZone]

8. Agreed.

He keeps making this claim. It's still nonsense.

[ChazInAz]

35. Exactly

This is Jeff Flake we're talking about, after all.

[not fooled]

37. Yeah

Trying to bridge the Grand Canyon between reasonable people and crazed red don cultists.

We see you, Jeff. It won't work. And we know that if you were still in the Senate, you would acquit. Just like you went along with Beer Bong Brett when the chips were down.

I refuse to play along and be Charlie Brown to his Lucy.

[Cosmocat]

48. Right

nm

[brewens]

5. I'd have to think McConnell might consider that. They can divy up the no votes so that

those Senators that really need to can brag about voting no. Of course they'd have to make sure they didn't have too many claiming that.

[Ligyron]

18. Wouldn't matter, they can't count.

Plus they could all claim to vote "no" and if it was secret no one could confirm anyway.

[fescuerescue]

6. If the Senate used secret ballots

It would probably be compromised of entirely different members. It would be a totally different institution. As it is, the members who are in power are there because their voting patterns are well known and they got elected because of those voting patterns.


You can drive yourself crazy with whatifs, but what most people miss is that a single "whatif" always impacts more than just the single thing you want it to.

It's a cool piece of trivia, but it doesn't really change our reality much.

[Qutzupalotl]

7. I don't care who gets the credit or blame.

We have to get the traitor OUT by any means, then we can restore democracy.

There will be plenty of time for finger-pointing later. ALL of that is of secondary importance. Besides, the traitors are already easy to spot with their public statements.

If your house is on fire, you don't care if the firefighters have muddy boots. You just don't.

[triron]

28. You said it: "by any means".

[marlakay]

36. I agree I say secret ballot fine

Whatever it takes.

And then that makes me wonder would environment laws pass? Maybe better healthcare? Maybe better gun laws if they weren’t afraid.

I don’t care about who we can tat on I care about pass the damn bills!! Same with Trump I just want him gone and my dream wish in jail!

[Bleacher Creature]

9. Screw that guy.

Jeff Flake was in the Senate for two years while Trump was President and did NOTHING but for a few words of "concern." He's useless, as are all of the current GOP members of Congress.

This gets fixed by Democrats and Democrats alone.

[Takket]

10. Flake has no clue. He's just guessing, and guessing poorly.

[dewsgirl]

11. OMG that thread begins with a guy threatening the life

Of any GOP Senator that voted against Trump.😳

[tritsofme]

13. Well it would require 81 senators to agree that the vote must be secret.

Any 20 senators can demand a public vote under the Article I Section 5 of the Constitution.

[luvtheGWN]

19. On the other hand,

as I understand it, Senators have to be seated in order to vote. If enough of them feign ill health and cannot attend, then they don't have to have their vote counted -- and face the consequences.

[tritsofme]

32. We can dream up any number of fantastical scenarios

But such a performance is not going to happen.

[Firestorm49]

14. Ya, right. McConnell? Secret ballot? No fricking chance!

[marble falls]

15. Jeff Flake is a hypocrite. If he's so morally moved why did he vote almost 100% Trump?

[Javaman]

16. Sounds like a bait and switch from these cowardly pricks nt

[dflprincess]

17. Real profiles in courage those Republicans. Nt

[AncientGeezer]

20. If Flake had cedibility he'd provide the names...

[tritsofme]

34. I don't think he's claiming to have names.

Just his “gut” feeling.

[AncientGeezer]

49. Yeah......from the tweet...I'm not getting "gut"

[tritsofme]

50. The tweet in the OP is from Seth Abramson, not Flake.

Who isn’t exactly a pillar of credibility.

[AncientGeezer]

52. I know where it's from..I also know Flake is a flake.

[pintobean]

21. The guy certainly fits his name.

[bucolic_frolic]

22. Flake has just issued an excuse for why it won't happen

There won't be a secret ballot, there won't be any ballot. McConnell will squelch it all.

[DrToast]

23. Oh baloney

I don’t believe that for a second.

[Lonestarblue]

25. If a secret vote removes Trump, fine.

Trump isn’t the only problem, but the first step is removing him and his propaganda apparatus at Fox News. I’d rather see a public vote, but I’d also rather see Trump gone. I won’t stand on principle here because Trump is a sickness that needs to be out of our politics.

[gilligan]

26. Say what?

[getagrip_already]

29. Well, assuming there is more than one article....

Allow a secret ballot on the first one, but no others. That way nobody can hide.

Or agree to stop voting if the first one removes the president, but if not, a public vote is held on the remaining articles.

I'm fine with letting them hide under rocks if trump is removed. It won/t help collins or earnst or any of the others in the end. They are already on record supporting him. It doesn't matter what they do, we will run against them as his supporters.

[Marthe48]

31. if trump can't take it

and the repukes can't dish it out to his face, what a bunch of weaklings. If he's impeached, he has no teeth. He is already reduced to be a venal disgusting clod, with shrunken testicles and a loose sphincter. And the repukes aren't any better.

[Cetacea]

33. BREAKING NEWS: Trump Supporters Begin Making Public Assassination Threats Against GOP Senators

BREAKING NEWS: Trump Supporters Begin Making Public Assassination Threats Against GOP Senators Reportedly Open to Impeachment

Link to tweet

[aeromanKC]

39. GOP no Senators go will down in history for turning their back on the constitution

They will only be remembered for that one vote. History will not be kind to them.

[BadgerKid]

40. Kind of like whistler blower protection, eh?

Hypocrits!

[MerryBlooms]

41. Too many republicans neck deep in russian mafia money. Eve mike hukabee

is swimming in russian mob money and doing their bidding... This infiltration is enormous and I wouldn't be surprised if many republicans running in lowly local races have been financed by the same mob money.

[triron]

43. What I'm afraid of.

[redstateblues]

42. bunch of malarkey. Chickensh*t Flake would never put his vote

where is mouth is-like my former Senator Corker. Cowards all

[Garrett78]

44. Abramson is assuming Flake isn't full of shit. Not a safe assumption.

Secret or not, I think the vote would be along party lines.

[Captain Zero]

45. so that also means there are enough votes to make it a secret ballot.

But will mitch block THAT?

In fact, a vote to make it secret could be done with as high as 85 - 90 votes which would give some cover to the 75 in the secret ballot. (?)

[Mike Niendorff]

46. Translation:

Republicans are floating the idea of a "secret ballot" so that they won't have to vote PUBLICLY and ON THE RECORD to acquit Trump (at which point *every voter in America * becomes the final jury).

Now gee, I wonder why would they want that?

Ridiculously transparent trial balloon here.


MDN

[Dorian Gray]

47. Anonymous voters

are cowards.

They just are. If they'd vote that way anonymously, then stand up and do what's right. Good lord.