Lindsey Graham Launches Plan To Cut Pelosi Out of Impeachment Entirely
Playtime is over, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is warning House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Graham said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” that unless Pelosi formally releases the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate by the end of the week, the Senate should “take matters in our own hands.”
After the Democrat-controlled House rushed to pass two articles of impeachment against Trump last month, Pelosi said she would not release them to the Senate, which is where a trial on the charges would be held, until she was satisfied with the fairness of the Senate procedures.
Graham’s logic is simple: If the California Democrat wants to use the existing rules to game the system, the rules ought to be changed so she can’t get away with it.
“What I would do, if she continues to refuse to send the articles as required by the Constitution, I would work with Senator McConnell to change the rules of the Senate so we could start the trial without her, if necessary,” he said, referring to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
Graham said he would wait “days, not weeks” for Pelosi to end her “political stunt.”
“Well, we’re not going to let Nancy Pelosi use the rules of the Senate to her advantage,” he said. “This is dangerous to the presidency as an institution.”
“They impeached the president, but the speaker of the House is holding the articles back, trying to extort from the majority leader of the Senate a trial to her liking. They’re trying to hold these articles over the head of the president.
“I think the reason they’re not sending them is because they’re so weak and it’s a pathetic case, and they’re looking to add something.
“So the sooner this trial is over, the better for the American people.”
Graham said his goal was to “start this trial in the next coming days, not let Nancy Pelosi take over the Senate. My No. 1 goal is not let the speaker of the House become the majority leader of the Senate.”
▶️ When the Senate Minority Leader insists on denying President @realDonaldTrump the ability to go to court and exercise Executive Privilege regarding Senate Democrats’ witness lists.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 27, 2019
? @SpeakerPelosi end this debacle and send the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.
? @SenSchumer stop playing games with the presidency.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 27, 2019
Graham said that in his version of what should be done, witnesses would be the last resort in a speedy process.
“We’ll use the [Bill] Clinton model,” he said, “where you take the record established in the House, let the House managers appointed by Pelosi make the argument, let the president make his argument why the two articles are flawed, and then we’ll decide whether we want witnesses.
“But this should be done in a couple of weeks.”
Graham said impeachment ought to be dealt with in January so that Congress can address other issues impacting the country.
“If we don’t get the articles this week, then we need to take matters in our own hands and change the rules, deem them to be delivered to the Senate so we can start the trial, invite the House over to participate if they would like,” he said.
Graham also has a plan if Democrats refuse to cooperate.
“If they don’t come, dismiss the case and get on with governing the country,” he said.
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