ok, TELL me I got my math right!

[FirstLight]

So the Impeachment process goes like this in it's simplest form:

House votes to Impeach
House becomes "prosecutor" in a Trial in the Senate (don't think the Senate can refuse the trial, but maybe there's a glitch McConnell can throw there...)
Senate is "jury"
Chief Justice is Judge (Roberts...who I *think* has already sided against the Trump regime on a few occasions...?)

If "convicted" it take 67 votes

Current roster puts Dems @ 45
Ind @ 2 (and THIS article adds :
REPUB @ 30 votes yea on Impeachment

That's 77 votes!

So can McTurtle stop the trial from going forward...especially with 30 (or more by the time this moves ahead)


I'm kinda getting excited here... hold my hand!

[RandySF]

1. It's not a secret vote

Each senator stands and votes "guilty" or "not guilty". Mike Murphy said 30 Republicans would vote to convict if it were a secret ballot.

[Flaleftist]

2. The 30 is supposedly if it was secret vote.

It can't be a secret vote and the Republicans are fucking cowards. I'm not getting my hopes up.

[NCLefty]

4. Plus that. :/

[NCLefty]

3. I don't think the number of potential votes can stop him from doing or not doing the thing.

Does anyone know different?

[FirstLight]

5. That seems to be the fly in the ointment question...

I'm not worried about the "secret vote" thing...because you KNOW by the time it heads to the Senate it will be AIRTIGHT...and if they are using the"possibility of 30 votes in secret" trial balloon NOW...well...


I don't THINK there's a way for the Senate NOT to move forward once it gets to that point

But my Constitutional Law prowess is "rusty"

[TexasTowelie]

6. Well, the Senate could make the trial take forever

and McConnell could put the Senate into recess until after the election. Nothing will be accomplished and the government might have to shut down when a budget isn't approved so it could also devastate the economy. It would be almost like anarchy, except that Trump would remain president.

[canetoad]

7. Interesting Q&A from NYT

14 Answers to the Impeachment Inquiry, and What May Come Next

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/26/reader-center/impeachment-inquiry-questions.html

The Role of the Senate

If the House approves articles of impeachment, is Mitch McConnell required to hold an impeachment trial? What is the timing on when he would have to do so?
— Mark Schmidt, Rochester, N.Y.

The Constitution clearly envisions that the Senate will hold a trial if the House votes for impeachment. But if Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, simply refuses to do that, there is no obvious enforcement mechanism to make him.

— Sharon LaFraniere

On the number of republicans, I'm pretty sure Flake said 35 - if it was a secret ballot.

[Coleman]

8. The Senate establishes the rules governing the trial

Moscow Mitch has already said the trial will be short, no longer than an hour and the House prosecutors will have very little time to present the case. Mcubed already planning the fix.

[tblue37]

9. Those 30 GOP cowards won't cast a *public* vote against Dear Leader. nt

[lark]

10. Actually Roberts has sided with admin. and repugs every single time but 1 - no friend of ours.

He too is a Russian Repug and will stomp all over the constitution for party privilege and power - it's just how those rw fascists roll.