So what would keep Trump/Barr from stonewalling an impeachment inquiry?

[redstateblues]

They have no regard for the law.

[MoonRiver]

1. How would they do that?

[redstateblues]

5. Refuse to turn over any incriminating documents

The same thing they are doing right now. Stall, delay, obfuscate. They have no regard for the Constitution.

[MoonRiver]

7. Dems have more than enough already to impeach

[StarfishSaver]

22. And then what?

[MoonRiver]

24. I don't know, but at least Democrats would have done their constitutional duty.

[StarfishSaver]

27. "I don't know" is the operative term

And one that, unlike you and I, the House Democrats don't have the luxury of relying on. They have to assess and weigh all of the angles (including the ones we don't know about), possibilities and probabilities.

This isn't horseshoes and we're not going for two out of three. They have one chance to get it right. I'm glad they're taking the time to make sure they do.

[pbmus]

2. This is why Nancy Pelosi is saying we have to WIN BIG in 2020

There is no regard for the law...and they are stonewalling

[redstateblues]

6. I'm with Nancy. She is right.

[pbmus]

8. The Con will use our impeachment efforts to rally his base

And others will follow...I agree that he is the most evil president in our history but impeachment is a political/legal process which he and his followers have no regard for.

[UniteFightBack]

10. Forget them...what about the rest of the country? nt

[pbmus]

17. The rest of the country has to continue to expose the corruption at all levels...

All the investigations are still ongoing and will produce more evidence which will expose more people...

These cumulative efforts will eventually lead to awareness of the truth...

My continued concern is on our voting systems....

[empedocles]

11. There is the 20% - the rest is in play.

All sorts of interests, factors, and tics at work.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

18. Trump's base is not growing. He is making no effort to increase his base,

but instead plays only to the most extreme elements of it. His base will rally but if they are only 35% and shrinking, so what? Nixon still had a "base" of about 24% by the time he resigned after the Watergate hearings, the Saturday Night Massacre and the revelation of the tapes. At the start of the Watergate hearings in May of 1973 Nixon was at about 45% and his approvals decreased pretty steadily after that - meaning he ended up with nothing but his hard-core base. That wasn't enough to save him from the likelihood of impeachment because Congress members didn't want to run for re-election after having supported a 24% president.

[stopdiggin]

25. His own party

As I understand it, his own party went to him and said "you won't survive this." Will we get to that point with the current GOP? Surely isn't happening now.

[empedocles]

15. Impeachment was designed as a political process.

Legal issues are important, helpful, etc., . . . bit we need a big consensus base to back up the fight.

[Mr. Ected]

16. As if more votes was all it took to win in 2020

The 2016 election was thrown and 2020 will be even worse. If you're relying on winning by landslide, be prepared instead to lose by insurmountable foreign interference.

The rules have changed. There are no rules. We've been overtaken by a silent coup.

[pbmus]

20. Rules have definitely changed for the interim...but they are still on the books

And as the other investigations churn on, We will begin to see enlightenment ...

[uponit7771]

28. Wouldn't we first need a free and Fair election?!?!

[Brawndo]

3. Not a thing

This is all a process of waking Americans up to the fact that the law/votes will not be nearly enough to rid ourselves of this criminal.

[elleng]

4. Nothing

[duforsure]

9. What would keep trump from calling off the next election when he figures out he can't win

Then declares its rigged or something else he might make up , then eliminate it with another declaration , or declare martial law bypassing all rules while he makes up his own to remain in office. As desperate as he'll be they should expect him to do something extreme to not leave, or let another election take place.

[stopdiggin]

26. about 350 million

the American people

[watoos]

12. Well, we have Barr's statement,

that he would turn over grand jury information for an impeachment hearing. Is his word good? No, but all of the good dirt is in those grand jury documents.
Dems would have more clout under an impeachment hearing to have the courts expedite decisions on subpoenas and contempt of Congress. Trump/Barr/Republicans want to delay court decisions until the elections, Dems can argue that the decisions be expedited because of the upcoming election.

[StarfishSaver]

23. You think Barr will turn over grand jury material just because he said he would?

[manor321]

13. A formal impeachment processes increases likelihood of speedier / favorable court rulings

There are no arguments for not starting impeachment proceedings now. None.

[Voltaire2]

14. Even this SC would agree that the executive

has to comply with subpoenas issued by an impeachment investigation.

[struggle4progress]

19. Nothing will keep Trump and Barr from stonewalling. Our mission involves the rest of the country

[PoliticAverse]

21. You sound concerned that there might actually be an impeachment investigation. n/t

[meow2u3]

29. Democrats can use inherent contempt to force compliance

Fines? Jail time? Democrats leave all options on the table for enforcing subpoenas

Administration officials could face fines or jail time for ignoring congressional subpoenas, as House Democrats say they’re seriously considering reviving a congressional power that has not been used since the 1930s.

President Donald Trump has publicly urged administration officials not to comply with congressional subpoenas, and some have started heeding the advice. House Democrats have made no formal decisions about how to respond to the Trump administration’s stonewalling of their oversight investigations, but one option on the table is the historical process of “inherent contempt.”

“There is no tool in our toolbox that we should not explore,” Oversight and Reform Chairman Elijah E. Cummings said Tuesday.

That includes using Congress’ inherent contempt power to impose fines or jail time for administration officials who refuse to comply with congressional oversight requests, the Maryland Democrat said.

https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/fines-jail-time-democrats-leave-options-table-enforcing-subpoenas