Senate Republicans have vowed to crush the impeachment effort if the Democrat-controlled House passes articles of impeachment of President Trump.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to ensure that the measure, which has caused some friction even among Democrats, would be over before it could gain traction.
Democrats in the Senate will remain largely powerless to change that. Although McConnell cannot simply ignore them — he will have to act on the impeachment articles – but, it also requires 67 votes, or a two-thirds majority, to convict the president.
“I think it would be disposed of very quickly,” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham told The Hill on the viability of the impeachment process. “If it’s based on the Mueller report, or anything like that, it would be quickly disposed of.”
Other Republicans echoed Graham’s comment. Texas Sen. John Cornyn told the outlet that the impeachment articles passed by the House would lead to “nothing.”
“It would be defeated. That’s why all they want to do is talk about it,” he added, suggesting Democrats are more interested in talking about impeaching Trump than actually trying to do that. “They know what the outcome would be.”
Senate Republicans also say an impeachment trial of Trump would get just the bare minimum time on the floor.
“Why on earth would we give a platform to something that I judge as a purely political exercise?” Sen. Thom Tillis told The Hill.
“We have to perform our constitutional duty, but if people think that we’re going to try and create a theater that could give you the perception that this is a matter that rises to the level of Watergate, that’s nonsense.”
Dems in House Move Closer to Impeachment
And yet, despite it amounting to a monumental waste of time and energy, it seems some members of the Democrat controlled House, are moving in that direction.
Controversial Michigan Democrat Rashida Tlaib said Sunday that the House is “moving towards” supporting the measure to impeach Trump.
Her comments come despite House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s efforts to quell talks of impeaching the president and her repeatedly warning the Democrats against proceeding with such move.
A senior Democrat told Fox News that Pelosi won’t be “able to hold off on impeachment much longer” as the impeachment talk in her party is gaining traction and is being embraced by the voter base.
