GOP senators pondering action if Trump loses and refuses to step down, Carl Bernstein says

[brooklynite]

Source: New York Daily News

Several “terribly concerned” Republican senators are starting to plan how they’ll crack down on President Trump if he loses the election but refuses to accept defeat, journalist Carl Bernstein says.

“They are very, very worried about it,” the famed Watergate journalist told CNN’s Ana Cabrera on Sunday.

He said as many as 10 senators are “trying to come together” to “make a plan that if the president provokes a constitutional crisis, which they believe he will, they will try to find a way to let law and order and the Constitution prevail.”

The GOP senators are “talking with each other about how to restrain what they regard as an out-of-control, almost madman” who is “determined to do anything to hold on to office regardless of its legality, regardless of how far it crosses lines that are unthinkable in terms of authoritarianism,” Bernstein said.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-senators-pondering-action-if-trump-loses-and-refuses-to-step-down-carl-bernstein-says/ar-BB1apoHj?ocid=st

[soothsayer]

1. Sure, Jan

[brooklynite]

3. Reminder: in 1974, all Republican Senators supported Nixon...until they didn't.

[NewJeffCT]

39. that is true, but back then

there was no Fox News & RW media echo chamber media supporting Republicans and pushing them to the extreme right and also to make their audiences hate Democrats/liberals/progressives.

[calimary]

47. Unfortunately that's what's made all the difference.

The echo chamber has just metastasized on that side of the aisle.

We now have Pox Noise AND a slew of smaller wannabe networks (Sinclair and Salem for example) that actively push for the wrong wing. PLUS a SHITLOAD of hate radio.

On our side? ONE network (MSNBC) that doesn’t have the coverage Pox and the others do, pushing for the left, and the “big three” conventional networks with news departments grimly determined to be objective.

And WHERE’S OUR big 15-hundred-station-strong radio network, ‘eh?

We’re outnumbered, media-wise.

[Evolve Dammit]

59. We haven't had squat since Air America and the Fairness Doctrine repeal. Advantage taken.

[BumRushDaShow]

68. You can get some if you pay for it

https://www.siriusxm.com/channels/siriusxm-progress
https://www.siriusxm.com/channels/siriusxm-urban-view
(that's what I have to do unfortunately)

..outside of picking through NPR - https://www.npr.org/programs/

[AllaN01Bear]

72. also pacfica radio network

link
https://pacificanetwork.org/

[BumRushDaShow]

74. I suppose technically you could also use a radio app

and try to find some local stations in other cities that might have the appropriate programming and who stream their broadcasts, but it has gotten rarer and rarer to find much anymore.

[NewJeffCT]

82. The progressive radio channel on Sirius

Is generally good - Stephanie Miller is on late morning EST

[Leghorn21]

2. Hey all y'all

FUCK RIGHT OFF

[DENVERPOPS]

15. Probably the RepubliCON Senators that

are facing re-election. You think the public is going to forget that YOU ASSHOLES endorsed and supported this Frankenstein you delivered on us???????????? Your Party and YOU backed him every day for nearly four years as he (and you) ignored the Constitution and Rule of Law and went on your merry crusade to destroy our nation and Democracy !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even if we had the presidency, the House, and the Senate it would take years and years to investigate and reverse everything you assholes have done covertly, in the shadows, while you used Trumps daily antics as a diversion.....

I would like nothing better than to see Trump and his cabinet, the RepubliCONs in the Senate, his administration and the owners of the Right Wing Media sent to Colorado's Super Max to end their miserable lives.......A death sentence would be wayyyy too merciful for all of them.....(McVeigh got sent there and after six months begged to be executed)

[Leghorn21]

19. A+ rant, DENVER!!

WECOME HOME, MOTHERFUCKERS

[ArizonaLib]

51. Conservatives are destroying this country

With hate and bigotry. They need to prepare for an embarrassing loss which will revert them back to complaing in private to eachother about political correctness and going to church on Sundays but spend the rest of the week embarrassing Jesus with their hate and hypocrisy. Funny how they want guns to protect their families while they defund schools and destroy healthcare for their families - they really din't want to protect their loved ones, they would rather play with their guns.

[COLGATE4]

4. All that's missing is the news that this group of newly

"concerned" senators is chaired by Susan Collins.

[soothsayer]

6. The most concerned of the concerned concern

[NCjack]

10. We need the names of these brave repuke senators who would save democracy.

[KS Toronado]

44. Why? If they vote for Amy Coney Barrett they're allowing Hair-Doo the opportunity to use SCOTUS

to steal this election, so their concern of him being "determined to do anything to hold on to office regardless of its legality"
is pure BULLSHIT. They're giving him one more tool to stay in power.

[NCjack]

60. Why? Because when the two rebukes for NC call me asking for my vote,

if one or both are among those "pondering", I can with pin point accuracy reply to that I am "pondering".

[KS Toronado]

78. Oh OK 10-4, appears all their pondering was just words and no action after their votes today

[Clearly fogged in]

13. Another Kafkaesque alliteration;

Collin's committed

[Illumination]

22. Susan Collins must be a part of this...

Sure...like we really even believe they're "concerned" when they've been going right along with him through thick & thin...

[vlyons]

5. It is very clear to me that even before Biden is sworn in

US marshalls, the Secret Service, and the WH marine guards -- IF NECCESSARY -- will tell Trump that he can walk out peaceably to the waiting helicopter, or he can be carried out in a straight jacket for all the world to see. Because after Biden is sworn in, he will be trespassing on WH grounds, and people get arrested for that. His choice.

[DENVERPOPS]

18. Even if voted out

Trump and his RepubliCONs will have months to irreparably destroy anything and everything they can get their hands on.
They will go all in on a Scorched Earth Crusade to show us, for daring to confront them and win........To say nothing of Wall Street and Corporations going all out to retaliate........

[vlyons]

26. All Trump's executive orders can be reversed with the stroke of Biden's pen

and no doubt, Biden will have a task force to go thru them, each and every one. There will be little to no new legislation passed until the next congress is sworn in. The senate will continue to confirm judges, but there won't be any administration appointees confirmed, no matter who and how many people Trump fires or resigns. No one is going to accept a 1 to 2 month appointment to what's left of Trumpestan. Wall St and Corporations will be buttering up all the newly elected Sens and Congress critters to get on their good side.

It will be a brave new world.

[jmowreader]

50. Trump has stopped having the Senate vote on his appointees

Trump is exploiting the "acting" clause for his own selfish ends.

Pre-Trump, an "acting" Cabinet secretary, who can work without Congressional approval, was appointed to keep the department going until the President could get a real appointee before Congress.

Trump's appointees are so bad not even the Rubber Stamp Senate will sign off on them...so his administration is full of "acting" officials.

One of the Detrumpification Acts needs to be a law that puts a time limit on "acting" appointees. I'm thinkin' the president has to submit a name within 14 days after appointing an acting official, and if he or she refuses to submit a name the Senate will begin confirmation hearings on the acting official. (And, more important, if the acting official does not pass the approval process the official cannot work for the government in any capacity.)

However, the very first Detrumpification Act I want to see is one that redefines the nepotism statute to prevent presidential or Vice Presidential family members from working for the federal government if they agree not to draw a salary. I would pay the First Spouse, Second Spouse and their interns a good salary, then decree that no one not drawing a government paycheck can work for the administration.

[jmowreader]

32. I don't think they will

Call it self-preservation.

The Republicans know Biden plans to spend four years untucking the nation and preparing Kamala Harris to be the first woman elected president. If they try the scorched earth shit, President Biden WILL have them locked up.

I believe they are going turn their embezzlement up to 22. Trump and his minions will know their time is short and will grab every fucking thing they can while they can.

Note to President-Elect Biden: please ask the Army to place members of the 10th Mountain Division’s 2-22 Infantry in the White House 24-7 until President Biden is sworn in. I would not put it past Trump to try to steal the Resolute Desk, the furniture in the living quarters, the China and silverware, the drapes, and the dressing table in the WH makeup room.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

41. "I would not put it past Trump to try to steal the Resolute Desk."

+50000

[AllaN01Bear]

73. hihowdi, also known as the 7th cav in ww1 and before

custer was in charge at one time .

[vlyons]

79. I imagined that Trump would carve his name on the Resolute Desk

Trump was here

[kiri]

67. God's law is superior to man's laws...

Your post is disingenuous. This text is in an Amendment to the Constitution. The Supreme court has assumed to itself the power to interpret the Constitution, a notion generally accepted. The SC can interpret this in various ways:

1. The Amendment was not properly passed. The RW have already asserted this with respect to the crucial 14th.
2. God's law is superior to man's laws. This notion underlays all that the RW evangelicals believe. Moreover, they know god's laws, and you don't. Simple, eh?

3. Issue a "stay' pending resolution of scores of Trump lawsuits, which his team, is very successful at, backed now by 220 trump/McConnell appointees.

4. As known, when Stalin asked, "How many armies does the Pope have?"
The authoritarian right has been systematically infiltrating law enforcement--see what the Federalist Society has achieved.

5. What may save us, ironically, is the hierarchical structures, where a superior gets to give an order to be obeyed. The flaw is that if the officer is declared as 'illegitimate' (i.e. not godly) his orders will be ignored.

6. N.B: Note that the present SCOTUS has ignored clear language "shall", and made it "may". Cf. Mnanchin overruling the IRS; cf rules issued by 'acting" BLM managers.

Do you think that Barrett, Thomas, Alito, will issue a Writ of Mandamus ? And even if, to what effect? {https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mandamus}

The threat to democracy was ignored in the Weimar Republic in Germany in the 1930s. It was ignored in Hungary and Poland in the last few years, even in the embrace of the EU.

[AllaN01Bear]

70. i loved it when pres obama said that he was just a tennant.

[NCjack]

7. Those senators need to report immediately to a stem cell research hospital

and have spines grown in Petri dishes. They should be ready for insertion in a couple of years.

[Talitha]

8. Where were all these 'heroes' during Dump's impeachment?

Bunch of damned drama queens.

[Lock him up.]

16. On theiR oRange dick-tatoR-tot wannabe's twitter feed?

Like being scaRed sh!tless of what it would order his cRackpot base to do to them.

land of them cowaRd$$$$$$$$$

[Bayard]

28. Exactly!

NOW they're concerned he's an out of control madman!

Dammitt!

[AleksS]

9. The only thing any GOPer is planning

Is how to best support Trump if he tries to not vacate his position.

[SeattleVet]

11. 'Almost' madman?

He's been way past the 'almost' stage for a long time. He's went over the 'he thinks he's Napoleon' line and is headed straight to sitting in the corner, drooling in his shoes.

[ClusterFreak]

66. Lol I scrolled down the replies till I saw someone take note of "almost".

Ya, there really is no 'almost' about it when it comes to describing this total and utter madman.

[SWBTATTReg]

12. I suspect that if the moronic PINO tries to threaten not leaving the WH, etc., that millions of ...

us will sit outside the WH until he leaves.

[lastlib]

25. I ain't sittin' outside.....

I'm goin' in!

Yeah, I'll get shot, but I did take an oath to defend the Constitution, and if that means taking a bullet, I'll take a bullet....

I think another option we have is to "Noriega" him! Remember how the Army flushed out Noriega? They surrounded his compound and blasted loud obnoxious music into it 24/7 until he gave up and came out. I think we really ought to do that, once the Electoral vote is in. I can cue Lou Reed's "Metal Machince Music" on a minute's notice! No Peace once he is de-elected!!

[reACTIONary]

58. Hell yah!

[generalbetrayus]

61. Let's show our patriotism by blasting out Jimi Hendrix's performance

of the Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock 24/7.

[regnaD kciN]

14. "Terribly concerned..."

[BainsBane]

65. and at best with do nothing

and in greater likelihood would back his efforts to stage a coup. Republicans are always pretending they are concerned, but when push comes to shove they always side with evil. It's who they are.

[Fla Dem]

17. Not sure I understand the dilemma. Once the Electoral College members certify Biden's victory.....

There's nothing more to be discussed. Biden is sworn in as the 46th President. If Trump refuses to leave the WH, the Secret Service, which will then report to Joe Biden, will be ordered to remove him. Every aspect of the US government, once Biden is sworn in, reports to him and takes orders from him; the Secret Service, Military, FBI, every organization. Trump would have no one to back him up. The Secret Service will bodily remove him if that's what it takes.

[PoliticAverse]

23. Electoral College members don't certify the President-elect's victory, a joint session of Congress

(the newly elected one) presided over by the (old) Vice President (in this case Pence) does.

[lastlib]

31. Here is a handy guide to the timeline:

https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11641

lays it all out from pre-election to inauguration.

[steventh]

45. Thanks for the link to this VERY handy guide.

I previously had no idea about how the Electoral College process works. Interesting!

[Fla Dem]

53. So are you saying this could be the only cog in the scenario I suggested?

If that's the case, while I don't want to take anything for granted, from what I hear we have a lock on the House of Representative and we may gain 2-3 Senate seats.

The Constitution mandates the new House and Senate are sworn in on January 3rd. January 6, 2021 a Joint Session of Congress will meet to verify the EC Votes. The current VP will announce the winner.

So unless there is some chicanery, "IF" Biden wins, the EC Votes will be verified by Congress. At that point Trump is still President. However if on January 20th he refuses to vacate the office once Biden takes the oath of office, then the original scenario I posted should play out. Yes??

On January 6, or another date set by law, the Senate and
House of Representatives assemble at 1:00 p.m. in a joint
session at the Capitol, in the House chamber, to count the
electoral votes and declare the results (3 U.S.C. §15). The
Vice President presides as President of the Senate. The Vice
President opens the certificates and presents them to four
tellers, two from each chamber. The tellers read and make a
list of the returns. When the votes have been ascertained
and counted, the tellers transmit them to the Vice President.
If one of the tickets has received a majority of 270 or more
electoral votes, the Vice President announces the results,
which “shall be deemed a sufficient declaration of the
persons, if any, elected President and Vice President.”

https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11641

Thank you lastlib for the link to the EC Timeline.

[Baitball Blogger]

20. What are they going to do? Induce him out of the White House with a Supreme Court appointment?

[Zorro]

33. Bait a fish hook with a hundred dollar bill

and cast it in his direction.

[Tommymac]

57. No, a trail of KFC breadcrumbs.

[rainin]

21. What if the election is decided in trump's favor by 6-3 vote in the SC?

I'm not hearing our plans to fight that

[Mr. Ected]

24. Every one of those GOP Senators is totally useless

Unless they go public with their concerns and plans.

[Illumination]

27. Look @ this monster the GOP helped create & support! They're not "concerned" about

Trump. They're "concerned" about themselves!... They should have done the right thing & impeached Trump in the Senate! Many of them knew how bad he was...

[bucolic_frolic]

29. If we get to that point Trump will them thrown in jail too

This will be conflict between jurisdictions and forces of various agencies. Are these GOP Senators so out of touch they don't realize the rule of law is backed by the force of law?

[yuiyoshida]

30. He is going to do it EVEN if there is a TSUNAMI of BLUE votes

he WILL try and take it to the Supreme court, the very courts he has stacked- The JUDGES he put in will repay his kindness because he will demand they GIVE HIM THE PRESIDENCY.

[Zorro]

34. That would trigger a real revolution

[yuiyoshida]

37. hey WE WILL get to witness the next CIVIL war ...

Except this one will be much easier to put down, because there is MORE OF US THAN THERE ARE OF THEM.

[DeminPennswoods]

35. They had their chance in January

It's not like Adam Schiff didn't warn them of what would happen and now is happening.

[The Last James Left]

36. Here's what they'll Actually Do

[Xipe Totec]

38. Perhaps some sort of a wayback machine to retroactively vote to impeach... nt

[Nasruddin]

42. Impeach him again

Failure to "faithfully execute the Office ..."

Do it anyway on 4 Nov no matter what.

[trueblue2007]

40. LOCK HIM UP!!!!! LOCK HIM UP!!!!! LOCK HIM UP!!! 73 YEARS IN THE SLAMMER

[Sherman A1]

43. To "make a plan that if the president provokes a constitutional crisis

Trumpy Bear has been a Constitutional Crisis since the first day of his misadministration. Where the F*** have these goddamn loser morons been?

It is just to damn late to save your butts.... which is all you are interested in doing. You ride the tiger by the tail and..................

[bucolic_frolic]

46. Yes indeed, they have been the real suckers and losers /nt

[Salviati]

48. If you're that concerned...

... work on rounding up a couple more republican senators, and you'll have enough to remove him from office. I'm sure Pelosi would love to impeach the motherfucker again.

If you're not willing to do that, then I don't want to hear how "concerned" you are. You've got the tools, you just need the will to use them.

[paleotn]

49. Why is this even an issue?

This is a media creation and ghost in Donnie's mind. But sorry, this isn't freaking Guatemala. If he loses, he will leave or be removed. It's as simple as that.

[CapnSteve]

52. I have a suggestion:

Have Marine One take the criminal and his family to a Federal penitentiary to await trial(s) without parole.

[moonscape]

81. Could we just put them in a cage on the border pls? n/t

[NBachers]

54. Oh please, wise and concerned republican Senators! Save us!

[Kablooie]

55. They will probably decide to join him.

They could refuse to step down if they lost their elections

[Harker]

56. Their arses will NOT be covered by this. n/t

[Turbineguy]

62. Somebody will have to do a

Goldwater.

[634-5789]

63. Who the fuck cares what they do?

FACT: at 12:01 PM on January 20, 2021, Joe Biden will be the new president. I ASSURE YOU there's a shit load of Secret Service Police and military that will not allow that fat fucking orange grifter to stay one fucking minute past his time. RELAX, they have this.

EDITED for spelling

[BainsBane]

64. I don't trust the GOP to stand up to him

There are a significant number of them that would do anything to hold onto power, and McConnell is one of them. We are talking about people who have enabled a Russian asset to operate from Oval Office. They have been floating ideas that we aren't supposed to be a democracy for sometime now. They'd orchestrate a coup if they could get away with it. The one saving grace, I think, is that the military wouldn't comply.

We are talking about the dregs of humanity, people with no principles or decency.

[ashling]

69. If they are serious, their first step

is to keep that POTUS nomination out of the SCOTUS

[orangecrush]

75. Gee, now I can sleep at night

[Steelrolled]

76. Clickbait.

No doubt either side will fight to end given the complex voting process. But no need to panic.

[Blue Owl]

77. K&R

[Progressive Jones]

80. If he won't leave, physically remove him. US Marshalls can handle it. nt