Impeachment - countdown to civil war?

Impeachment Coup: 

Countdown to Civil War?

TruNews,

6 December, 2019

Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday that the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives will proceed with articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump.

Speaking from the same spot she launched the impeachment probe two and a half months earlier, she said:

“Let us begin where our founders began in 1776. When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another. With those words, our founders courageously began our Declaration of Independence from an oppressive monarch, for among other grievances the king’s refusal to follow rightfully passed laws.

“In the course of today’s events, it becomes necessary for us to address, among other grievances, the president’s failure to faithfully execute the law. When crafting the Constitution, the founders feared the return of a monarchy in America. And having just fought a war of independence, they specifically feared the prospect of a king-president corrupted by foreign influence.

“During the constitutional convention, James Madison, the architect of the Constitution, warned that a president might betray his trust to foreign powers which might prove fatal to the republic. Another founder, Gouverneur Morris, that a president may be bribed by a greater interest to betray his trust. He emphasized that this magistrate is not the king. The people are the king.

“They, therefore, created a constitutional remedy to protect against a dangerous or corrupt leader: impeachment. Unless the Constitution contained an impeachment provision, one founder warned, a president might ‘spare no effort or means whatsoever’ to get himself re-elected. Similarly, George Mason insisted that a president who procured his appointment in his first instance through improper and corrupt acts might repeat his guilt and return to power.

During the debate over impeachment at the constitutional convention, George Mason also asked, shall any man be above justice? Shall that man be above it who can commit the most extensive injustice?

“In his great wisdom, he knew that injustice committed by the president erodes the rule of law, the very idea that a fair justice, which is the bedrock of our democracy. And if we allow a president to be above the law, we do so surely at the peril of our republic. In America, no one is above the law.

“Over the past few weeks, through the Intelligence Committee working with the Foreign Affairs and Oversight Committees, the American people have heard the testimony of truly patriotic career public servants, distinguished diplomats and decorated war heroes — some of the president’s own appointees.

“The facts are uncontested. The president abused his power for his own personal political benefit at the expense of our national security, by withholding military aid and crucial Oval Office meeting in exchange for an announcement of an investigation into his political rival.

“Yesterday, the Judiciary Committee, at the Judiciary Committee, the American people heard testimony from leading American constitutional scholars who illuminated without a doubt that the president’s actions are a profound violation of the public trust. The president’s actions have seriously violated the constitution, especially when he says and acts upon the belief ‘Article 2 says I can do whatever I want.’ No. His wrongdoing strikes at the very heart of our constitution. “A separation of powers, three co-equal branches, each a check and balance on the other. A republic, if we can keep it, said Benjamin Franklin.

“Our democracy is what is at stake. The president leaves us no choice but to act because he is trying to corrupt, once again, the election for his own benefit. The president has engaged in abuse of power undermining our national security and jeopardizing the integrity of our elections. His actions are in defiance of the vision of our founders and the oath of office that he takes to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

“Sadly, but with confidence and humility, with allegiance to our founders and a heart full of love for America, today I am asking our chairmen to proceed with articles of impeachment. I commend our committee chairs and our members for their somber approach to actions which I wish the president had not made necessary.

“In signing the Declaration of Independence, our founders invoked a firm reliance on divine providence. Democrats, too, are prayerful, and we will proceed in a manner worthy of our oath of office to support and defend the Constitution of the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic, so help us God.”

But it was what happened after her announcement that got everyone talking—even the president. As she was preparing to leave the stage, James Rosen of Sinclair Broadcast Group asked her pointedly:

“Do you hate the president, Madam Speaker?”

Pelosi instantly drew up in a range and began venting. Here is a transcript of the exchange:

PELOSI — I don’t hate anybody.

ROSEN — The reason I ask —

PELOSI — We don’t hate anybody. Not anybody in the world. Don’t accuse me—

ROSEN — I did not accuse you.

PELOSI — You did. You did.

ROSEN — I asked you a question. Representative Collins yesterday suggested that the Democrats are doing this simply because you don’t like the guy. I think it’s an important question.

PELOSI — Let me just say this. I think this president is a coward when it comes to helping our kids who are afraid of gun violence. I think he is cruel when he doesn’t deal with helping our DREAMers of which we are very proud. I think he is in denial about the climate crisis. However, that is about the election. This is about the — take it up in the election. This is about the Constitution of the United States and the facts that lead to the President’s violation of his oath of office. And as a Catholic, I resent your using the word ‘hate’ in a sentence that addresses me. I don’t hate anyone. I was raised in a way that is a heart full of love and always pray for the President. And I still pray for the President. I pray for the President all the time. So don’t mess with me when it comes to words like that.

Most of the reaction of Pelosi’s meltdown were negative. President Trump was among them:

“Nancy Pelosi just had a nervous fit. She hates that we will soon have 182 great new judges and sooo much more. Stock Market and employment records. She says she “prays for the President.” I don’t believe her, not even close. Help the homeless in your district Nancy. USMCA?”

Pelosi did not say when the vote on articles of impeachment will occur. It’s widely been speculated that it could happen as early as next week. Democrats are still debating over whether or not they should include an article on obstruction of justice based on the Mueller Report that was released in April.

In the meantime, Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) hasn’t wavered in his support for impeachment. In July, he tried to force the House to vote on his own articles of impeachment. In an interview with C-SPAN prior to Pelosi’s announcement, he said If the current effort to remove the president from office fails, Democrats can keep coming back—over and over again:

“[A] president can be impeached more than once. So we can do this. We can move forward with what we have on the table currently, we can take this before the Senate and we can still investigate other issues and when the president has committed additional offenses, and my suspicion is that he will, we can take those before the Senate. There is no limit on the number of times the Senate can vote to convict or not a president. No limit to the number of times a House can vote to impeach or not a president.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says Republicans have refused to join the coup, which is only hurting the country:

“Well, for weeks now, Republicans have been asking Democrats to take off their impeachment blinders and let Congress legislate for the American people. We’ve argued that American families deserve better than this partisan paralysis where Democrats literally obsess over impeachment and obstruct everything else. This very morning, for example, the speaker gave a speech on national television to push forward her rushed and partisan impeachment. Not one word, not one word on the outstanding legislation the American people actually need, nothing on USMCA or the NDAA or funding for our armed forces. It’s all impeachment all the time.

“Only in this town, madam president, only in Washington does anybody think it’s okay for our armed forces to go unfunded and a major trade deal to go unpassed, because Democrats are too busy hosting a panel of law professors, hosting a panel of law professors to criticize President Trump on television instead of the things the American people actually need us to address. Now, the Kentuckians I represent cannot believe our military commanders are being denied certainty, our men and women in uniform are being denied stable funding, and 176,000 new American jobs are being held up, all because Democratic leadership thinks there is more political advantage in obstruction than in doing their job.”

Reports indicate McConnell has decided to rival the Democrats’ scorched-earth approach with one of his own. He’s blocked out the entire month of January for an impeachment trial. Currently, five of the remaining 2020 Democrat presidential candidates are senators—including front-runners Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.

The Iowa Caucus, which starts the nominating process, will be held Feb. 3. That means January is a crucial time for winning over the last undecided voters—particularly important in a large field and when the Democrat caucus’ arcane rules emphasize having second and third choices.