Despite the continued talk of calling witnesses, or attempting to get former aides of President Trump to testify against him, it now appears some senior Democratic Senators are pushing for a speedy impeachment trial to last no longer than a single week. In contrast to earlier calls, which would have seen the trial drag out over several weeks, the about-face in attitude seems to stem from fears that the trial will quickly devour President Biden’s agenda into the month of February if it’s not dealt with in a timely fashion.
Originally, as of last week, Democrats were hoping to make a major spectacle of the process and the outcome. At this point, as days drag on, a conviction seems less and less likely which means the entire exercise is a futile effort.
If the votes aren’t there for a conviction, it seems some Democrats would rather move on, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY):
Earlier this week, Schumer told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow that the trial will be “fair” but also done “relatively quickly.”
Democrats are privately predicting the trial could start Tuesday February 9 and wrap up by the weekend. But the length of the trial could also depend on whether the House impeachment managers decide to bring in additional witnesses.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, the new Budget Committee chairman who would help steer any relief package under reconciliation procedures, also signaled his desire to move quickly on the trial. “I would hope that we deal with that as quickly as possible,” he said, adding that he wants to see “the needs of working families” addressed.
While Senate Democrats are broadly expected to vote to convict Trump, they may only win over the five mostly moderate or retiring GOP senators who already voted with them: Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney, Pat Toomey and Ben Sasse. That’s far short of the 17 needed to convict Trump on a two-thirds majority.
Without Republican votes for conviction, the second impeachment of President Trump will end up exactly where the first impeachment ended up: Dead on arrival in the U.S. Senate. With the Covid-19 situation ongoing, and both parties in Congress moving at a snail’s pace over the last 8 months in terms of focusing on issues such as opening schools or providing relief to small businesses, the last thing the Biden administration needs is more delays in attempts to deliver on promises made during the campaign.
If Democrats can’t find the votes for an impeachment conviction, which they now fear will be the result, some have begun talking about other methods, such as a censure, in lieu of impeachment.
Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) and working on a censure resolution which would bar President Trump from seeking future office, according to ABC News:
But it is not just any censure resolution. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., told reporters Tuesday that what Kaine and Collins are looking to do is “include the elements of the 14th Amendment that lead to disqualification from future office.”
“That’s intriguing to me and something I’m willing to look at. The bottom line here is we have to deliver accountability for the events of January 6,” Coons said.
That accountability — through an impeachment trial, and a vote afterward to disqualify Trump from holding future office — looked far less likely on Monday after 45 Republicans voted for a measure claiming that such a proceeding against a former president would be unconstitutional.
The real goal from the beginning has been to try and eliminate the potential for Donald Trump to run again in 2024. Democrats are on board with the notion as are enough moderate establishment Republicans as well.
Whatever happens during the next couple of weeks will surely shape the political landscape moving forward. Republicans who vote for impeachment or a censure resolution will inevitably face some backlash and potential primary challenges during their next campaign. Democrats from red-leaning states could also be forced to defend their votes.
The Senate impeachment trial is likely to begin Monday, February 8, and could be wrapped up by the following weekend depending on how things play out.
