Draft of McConnell's rules for trial still allows motion to dismiss

[highplainsdem]

Source: Axios

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is preparing a resolution that would leave room for President Trump's lawyers to move immediately to dismiss the impeachment charges if they so choose, according to Republican Sen. Josh Hawley.

-snip-

Behind the scenes: "I am familiar with the resolution as it stood a day or two ago," Hawley, the junior senator from Missouri, told me in a phone interview on Saturday. "My understanding is that the resolution will give the president's team the option to either move to judgment or to move to dismiss at a meaningful time..."

Hawley added that in the most recent draft of the organizing resolution he saw there was an option for the president's counsel to make a motion in multiple places, including at the beginning of the proceedings.

A Republican leadership aide responded: "The White House has the right to make motions under the regular order, including a motion to dismiss, right after the resolution is adopted because a motion to dismiss is a motion permitted by the impeachment rules."

-snip-

Read more: https://www.axios.com/draft-mcconnell-rules-vote-dismiss-impeachment-trump-d381f127-56a8-49a5-81a5-638e52cbdf14.html

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Hawley also said that if the final resolution doesn't allow Trump the right to shut the impeachment trial down in this way, he might not vote for it.

And he added that NOT giving the president this power would give Adam Schiff too much control.

[DonaldsRump]

1. Big deal...if they move to dismiss

the Ds can and should impeach Dear Leader again for any of a million reasons.

ReThugs: you CANNOT escape Donald John Trump. There is a day of reckoning for all of us, INCLUDING you.

[cstanleytech]

2. Irony is its Trumps own criminal acts that have given Pelosi all the evidence

she needs to impeach him multiple times and she can drag this out all year right up to the elections and rub the Congressional Republicans noses in the pile of shit as they helped Trump create it every step of the way.
So really Mitch needs to really think closely on if he wants to try this shit or if he wants to bite the bullet and remove Trump and try to salvage something.
If he stands with him and does not remove him I tell you right now I will completely support a Democratic President with a slim Senate majority increasing SCOTUS to 13 seats and packing every spot with a liberal and then launching an RICO investigation against the Republican party leadership with no mercy being shown to any Republican for a criminal act.
That means zero plea bargains for any of them and hard time along with seeking asset seizure for everything they own including any property they try to hide by giving it or selling it to a spouse or other family member.

[Evolve Dammit]

8. Sounds like a righteous (and well-deserved) plan to me. They brought scorched earth. Reap what you

sow.

[rainin]

6. I don't think she will, do you?

[BigmanPigman]

3. Mentally, I am prepared for the worst, especially after Obama's SCOTUS

pick and the BS McConnell has pulled for the past 3+ years. Be ready for the while thing to be shredded in one form or another since we know it is coming. I expect the worst from Moscow Mitch...I am older and wiser now.

[turbinetree]

4. Is this the reason that he might go to Davos.....................next week............

[iluvtennis]

5. Sickening. GOPers are so corrupt. nt

[justhanginon]

7. I am truly surprised the junior senator Josh was

able to remove his head from trump's ass long enough to give an interview. A disgusting replacement for senator Claire McCaskill. Hawley is just another POS trump sycophant.

[Iliyah]

9. In majority of the trials, and what I'm aware of, there is always

that issue and option of "dismiss" on the plate . . .

Unfortunately that is the reality because majority of the senate Republicans have already made up their minds even under impartial oath. Republicans are a party that shows they consider themselves "superior" and above the law coupled with ethic problems.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

10. Being able to use a motion to dismiss is Mitch's "nuclear option."

The moment he sees the public is catching on to the crook in the WH and begins to demand his ouster, Ken Starr will make a motion to dismiss and when the Repugs pass it Trump will scream "exoneration!" Then God help us and help the rest of the world.

[paleotn]

11. Ain't got the votes to dismiss or move to judgement

The evidence the House managers have WILL be made public. A vote to dismiss will effectively kill the Senate campaigns of Collins, McSally, Gardner and possibly Tillis and others. The freaking campaign ads write themselves.

[bucolic_frolic]

12. THIS +100x

They cook their own goose if it ain't in the deep fryer already. A complete coverup will not happen after the evidence already public, it won't be tolerated by 99% of the country.

[Scarsdale]

13. Moscow Mitch has TOO much power.

Maybe there should be an entire committee deciding impeachment of any president? Even a meeting of SC judges? For one corrupt man to have this much control is wrong.

[bucolic_frolic]

14. Founders feared factions (parties) and thought all would be patriots

It's the rule of the Senate as they have evolved. Trump/Barr/McConnell have exploited soft spots in the system.