Pelosi, Schumer Joint Statement on Senator McConnell's Declaration of 'Case Closed'

[highplainsdem]

https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/5719-2/

Pelosi, Schumer Joint Statement on Senator McConnell’s Declaration of ‘Case Closed’

May 7, 2019

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Leader Chuck Schumer issued this joint statement after Senator McConnell’s declaration on the Senate Floor that the Mueller Report is “case closed”:

“Senator McConnell’s declaration of ‘case closed’ is a stunning act of political cynicism and a brazen violation of the oath we all take. The Special Counsel report laid out eleven instances of the President’s obstruction, and left a raft of unanswered questions about coordination between the President’s campaign and Russia. These are not trivial or political questions – they go to the wellspring of our democracy. When a President is allowed to violate the law with impunity, and when a foreign power is allowed to interfere in our elections, it gnaws at the roots of the great oak that is our democracy, and could very well topple it.

“On every issue that matters in people’s lives, the Administration and a complicit Republican Senate are waging an unprecedented, unwarranted, unconstitutional and utterly dangerous campaign of stonewalling. Senator McConnell continues to brag about being the ‘grim reaper,’ sending bipartisan House legislation to a Senate legislative graveyard, as the Administration refuses to respect Congress’s constitutional oversight role and provide Congress and the American people with the truth.

“There is a dark connection in Washington between Senator McConnell, Attorney General Barr and President Trump: each preventing progress for the people, acting as handmaidens to a special interest agenda that is anti-government, anti-science and against meeting the needs of hard-working families.”

[Takket]

1. That's nice.

I’m tired of statements.

Do something.

A week ago Pelosi said Barr lied before Congress. That is a crime. Nothing has happened since.

Actions

Dem statements are becoming the new “thoughts and prayers”.

[lsewpershad]

12. +1

[dixiegrrrrl]

17. to people who do not understand the impeachment process,

it looks as if they are not doing anything,

but they are. It's a multi step process.

Monday was the first day they could lay out the accusations and charges against Barr. Remember, he committed contempt of congress just last thursday.
those accusations/charges are key to having a judge support the impeachment if Barr takes it to court, which he will surely do.
Wednesday is the earliest the committee can vote on it. ( Meaning Nadler's Judiciary comm., which is where impeachments come from)
The entire House will have to vote after that.
as congress goes, they are working at lightening speed, so to speak.

[2naSalit]

34. It's really so hard

for a couple reasons, I think...

We live in the time of instant gratification and...

Expediency is needed as the damage being done compounds exponentially by the day.

I don't disagree with you, I am making the same argument elsewhere on DU.

Here's a quotable quote I just made up: If you're in California and you want to drive to the Atlantic ocean, you can't get there until you cross the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River.

[dixiegrrrrl]

45. Unless you have to go thru Texas

Which adds about a week to the trip.

[2naSalit]

48. I can relate!

Back when I was a road warrior, I was really glad when I had really fast trucks that could get through Texas, the lengthwise way on I-10, in a night! Man, I loved those units!
You know you've been a state too long when you go past the 1000 mile marker!

[dixiegrrrrl]

53. at this point in my life,

the idea of having to drive across texas yet another time, keeps me firmly planted in alabama instread of going west for any visits. ( I refuse to fly for anything)

[2naSalit]

54. I would but not alone anymore.

It's just too dangerous, and I did it for decades. And I'd have to have either a really nice car/vehicle/bus style RV and a lot of funds. I have been flying a bit in the past four years, family issues, and i flew since it was over 1000 miles each way, but I hate it.

[Faux pas]

20. Agree 100000000000000%

Lip service means NOTHING.

[Magoo48]

36. Agree.

The days of the slow walkers is past.

[BlueJac]

24. No shit, do something!

[olegramps]

25. I understand your fustration.

I have committed the most horrendous of sins in questioning why Obama did not open investigations into the Republicans who that took us into an unjustified war in Iraq. I am less than impressed by the kid-gloves treatment of the Democratic leadership. Over 5000 of our service men and women's lives were sacrificed by the Republican neo-cons that dominate the Bush administration with out being seriously challenged. I despise every damn one of the filthy Republican bastards. They are destroying the nation while the Democrats moved cautiously seemingly afraid to challenge anyone. Their motto seems to be lets all play nicely together while the brats are kicking the crap out of them.

[NurseJackie]

35. What do you suggest?

Do something.

What do you suggest?

[Takket]

49. impeach barr

hold mnuchin in contempt of congress and arrest him

subpoena don junior and anyone involved with the trump tower meeting

What happened in the Seychells?

What about all that Russian money funneling into the NRA?

Why did the GOP change its platform to a pro-Russia agenda in 2016?

We gave Mueller two years of patience to investigate only to be told the House needs to investigate. Well HAUL these people in here and start asking questions.

[NurseJackie]

50. Yep. Just that easy, huh? Why didn't *they* think of that?

[Chin music]

51. We need a homer for the home crowd.

Pelosi pointing to the stands and Chuck smacking a ball over the fence. It's time.
Play ball.

[larwdem]

57. good point

agree 100%

[FirstLight]

58. Right?

I need to see some more indictments myself...

Fuck, maybe the STATE'S need to take some action...!!@

[louis-t]

2. And she could follow up with

"and you don't get to decide, asshole."

[FakeNoose]

46. It's implied in her last paragraph though

[Ferrets are Cool]

55. I am fucking tired of "implications"

DO SOMETHING. Hell, the fucking repugs don't have this problem.

[highplainsdem]

3. Pelosi tweet about this, posted less than half an hour ago.

Link to tweet

[bluestarone]

4. ALL these fucking rethugs stated publicly they wanted to hear Muellers FULL report! NOW

They ALL want to COVER IT UP! Something VERY EVIL going on and WE ALL know it!

[DemocracyMouse]

19. Yes there's something evil and Seth Abramson just identified it. His name is Simes...

...and it rhymes with "crimes" and he just escaped to Moscow to avoid being thrown in jail like Manafort, his buddy helping the crime boss Trump to be bribed by Moscow. Building funds in exchange for Putin/Oligarch/Crime Boss-friendly policies.

See Abramson on TODAY's Democratic Underground:
https://democraticunderground.com/100212077883

[lagomorph777]

26. "What are they hiding?" needs to be repeated constantly by every Dem pol and pundit and rank & file.

[calimary]

37. And don't forget this either: oh how horrible - investigation for 22 months

Oh woe.

Hell, Ken Starr went on all kinds of wild goose chases for more than FOUR YEARS looking for something/anything to hang around Bill Clinton’s neck. And at least 40 million tax dollars wasted - until they finally found a stained blue dress. And not one of ‘em complained about that!

So I don’t want to hear ANY whining about how it’s taken two years and blah-blah-blah and all the rest of the complaints. It hasn’t even been two full years!

Fuck ‘em!!!

[ProudMNDemocrat]

5. Good on ya Chuck and Nancy....Rub McConnell's face in it.....

That he and the Senate Republicans are in on this takeover of the country and allowing Trump unfettered access to destroy the Constitution and the principles for which this country was founded on.

We must do our parts in whatever way we can by tying ALL Republicans to Trump, defining them as co-conspirators in the destruction of this country and anointing Trump CICKTATOR for life be in at Town Halls, writing letters to the Editor of our local papers, calling to get answers from Republican reps in Washington, and so forth. What will they do? Have us all arrested? They cannot because we are protected by the 1st Amendment to the Constitution.

[saidsimplesimon]

6. Good job, thanks Pelosi and Schumer

Acting as handmaidens, priceless.

There is a dark connection in Washington between Senator McConnell, Attorney General Barr and President Trump: each preventing progress for the people, acting as handmaidens to a special interest agenda that is anti-government, anti-science and against meeting the needs of hard-working families.

[Funtatlaguy]

8. Not yet, Ofturtle.

[saidsimplesimon]

10. I am looking forward

to the misery and oppression that germinate the seeds of rebellion.

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. Lol........

"ofturtle".......

[manor321]

7. "And we will make sure our investigation is so slow it takes until Nov. 2020."

They might as well have written that.

[NewJeffCT]

31. with Republicans fighting even required disclosures

it's going to drag out for a long time

[BeyondGeography]

9. The fainting couch language needs to be retired

Nothing is “stunning” about Trump and McConnell anymore. “Brazen”? That’s how they got their fucking jobs.

[kentuck]

13. To put it in an effective, shorter message.

Cover-up!!!

Say it over and over and over... It is something voters understand.


KISS - Keep It Short and Simple

[Duppers]

39. Exactly!

[standingtall]

14. Time to go scroched earth

Not only should Trump and Barr be impeached, but the house should impeach McConnell too. Conventional wisdom is Senators and congress people cannot be impeached because they are not civil officers.

I say conventional wisdom is wrong. That interpretation did not exist until after 1797 when William Blount U.S. Senator from Tennessee was impeached. Just 8 years after the constitution was ratified the largest body of elected officials in the country identified Senators as civil officers and even the Senate spent two months attempting to try Blount on impeachment. Blount fled Washington to Tennessee and was elected a state legislature and refused to show up for hearings to be tried by the senate. The Senate even sent the sergeant at arms down to Tennessee to arrest him which failed. Was not until all of these things happened that Thomas Jefferson declared the Senate did not have jurisdiction over it's own members. Sounds like they decided it to much trouble to fool with not that it was against the constitution.

The fact that the Senate led by Thomas Jefferson spent two months trying to try the impeachment of Blount, I take as a tacit admission that the krafters of the constitution did indeed intend for Senators and congress people to be subject to impeachment not just expulsion. Sense Jefferson is one of the founders that wrote he constitution.

There has never been a constitutional amendment exempting Senators or congress people from being civil officers.
The supreme court has never formally upheld the interpretation of Senators and congress people not being civil officers nor have ever overturned the 1797 impeachment of William Blount by the house of representatives.

[awesomerwb1]

15. That was more harshly worded than I was expecting it to be tbh

-Senator McConnell’s declaration of ‘case closed’ is a stunning act of political cynicism and a brazen violation of the oath we all take.

-There is a dark connection in Washington between Senator McConnell, Attorney General Barr and President Trump: each preventing progress for the people, acting as handmaidens to a special interest agenda that is anti-government, anti-science and against meeting the needs of hard-working families.”

When do we march?

[Honeycombe8]

16. Good response. They went there: "dark connection...between Senator McConnell....." nt

[ScratchCat]

18. Until Pelosi and Schumer publicly state

that Trump, Barr, McConnell and Graham(for starters) are knee-deep in Russian money and that is what they are concerned about being outed we will get nowhere. If they truly believe these folks are a)compromised and b)a threat to our country, THEN SAY IT!!

[OMGWTF]

60. I wish I had a dime for everytime I've posted this:

McCONartist is filthy with Russian money -- https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/08/03/tangled-web-connects-russian-oligarch-money-gop-campaigns

[SunSeeker]

21. Well said. Keep saying that!

[Firestorm49]

22. SO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Quit crying and get in the fight!

[dem4decades]

23. Why not mention McConnell's failure to warn Americans about Russian intervention?

[spanone]

43. Exactly!!!!

[George II]

27. That last paragraph gets right to the point! Good for them.

[pdsimdars]

28. Pelosi/Schumer tag team (real Justice League) . . . .bring the tRump admin. down.

[patphil]

29. It looks like the Republicans are over playing their hand

It's definitely not over.
We have reached the end of the beginning.
It's going to be a tough fight from here on out, but Republican obstructionism will be more and more evident as the Democrats push for information and testimony.
If it goes into next year, that will be better for the Democrats as it will show a consistent pattern of lawlessness by the Republicans when it comes to anything and everything Trump.

I still feel the Republicans missed their best chance to relieve themselves from the Trump boat anchor and go forward with Pence via impeachment.
What could Trump's base do if they did?
They would have to support Pence and the Republicans in Congress or face a full on Democrat route of Republicans in 2020.
By holding on to Trump, it is much more probable that 2020 will be a debacle for the Republicans.

Providing the Democrats hang tough and force the issues.

Patrick Phillips

[Grins]

30. I think that is a weak response. Mine....

The Majority Leader - a Republican - wants to shut down the investigation of the Russian government's involvement in our 2016 election by its intelligence agencies, its millions of dollars invested in social media, and its tens of millions invested in the Senator's favorite 3-letter lobbying group that once "awarded" him with its 'Defender of Freedom Award'.

That same 3-letter lobbying group is reported to have received and laundered tens-of-millions of dollars from the Russians while that lobby's leaders fawned over a 20-something Russian woman with ties to Russian security services and who has pleaded "Guilty" to serving as an unregistered for - Russia. This would be the same Russian government that, via a pro-Putin businessman, that gave the majority leader's PAC, $2,500,000, and that the Republican senior Senator from Florida also accepted $1,000,000 from a pro-Putin businessman, that the former Republican Governor of Wisconsin accepted another $1,000,000 from a pro-Putin businessman, that the junior Republican Senator from Texas accepted $2,500 from a pro-Putin businessman, that the senior and late-Senator from Arizona accepted money from a pro-Putin businessman, that the Republican senior senator from South Carolina and chairman of the Judiciary Committee accepted $800,000 from a pro-Putin businessman, that the Republican Governor of Ohio and presidential candidate accepted $250,000 from a pro-Putin businessman, that another $1,000,000 was given to Trump's Inaugural Committee from a pro-Putin businessman (who is, ironically, located directly across the street from Trump Tower on 5th Avenue in New York), and that the majority leader's very own Republican National Committee received a $20,400 contribution from a pro-Putin businessman.

You don't have to be a Jim Hoft, a Steve Doocy, a Brian Kilmeade, or even a Jacob Wohl to sense that the majority leader's desire to 'move on' to other Senate business is actually a feint, a move of self-preservation from his own personal associations with a hostile foreign government. The fires are now encircling the majority leader's hearth and home.

[NRaleighLiberal]

32. Time to wet the powder.

[cab67]

33. It's long past time to call for McConnell's resignation.

Not just as majority leader, but as senator.

I know he won't resign, but public calls for it should be made.

[ffr]

38. +100, #98

Get thee to the greatest page!

[Xolodno]

40. McConnell is desperate.

He's seen the writing on the wall, his grim reaper days are coming to a close. And he's such a self serving asshole, he doesn't even care what his legacy will be. For example, we respect the former Senator of Arizona, McCain....despite heavily disagreeing with him. Mitch doesn't respect him.

[Duppers]

41. K & R whole thread.

[pazzyanne]

42. Well, tRump did say there is a "deep state" operating in DC.

He just forgot to mention that it is his "deep state".

[cp]

44. Dark connection

Yeah, McTurtle you're just a lackey for the mob boss (and in hock to the Chinese to boot).

[Grasswire2]

47. another stern statement. nt

[Cha]

52. Thank You!

[LibFarmer]

56. I like this

I'd be more folksy and use words like cover up and phrases like "if they have nothing to hide....."

[Rabrrrrrr]

59. Then start fucking arresting people, you jackanapes! Tired of you sitting on your asses.

Do something about it!

Send out the US Marshalls and make 'em sit in jail for a few days.