Did Randi hint Lindsay Graham was trading Alito for a Bush Impeachment?

[Quixote1818]

I wasn't listening that closely but I swearer she said something about thinking Lindsay Graham was horse trading with the Dems. If we give them Alito then Graham will go ahead and impeach the President for the wire taping?

Did I hear that right?

[rpannier]

1. I'd almost take that deal...

But...I think Graham is a liar who would say anything to get what he wanted.

[xchrom]

2. not a fair trade

unless we get to impeach scalia and thomas to boot.

[helderheid]

11. why not? Let's do that too. n/t

[movonne]

3. Sure and it goes to the Supreme court and guess what ..no impeachment

[Stand and Fight]

14. What are you talking about?

I really hate it when people speak as if they've authority, and they've no bloody idea what they're talking about. While the Chief Justice of the United States presides over an impeachment, it DOES NOT go to the Supreme Court. Get a grip. Therefore, the argument that impeachment can be stopped by the SCotUS is crap. It originates and ends in the Congress. Here's the process:

The procedure is in two steps. The House of Representatives must first pass "articles of impeachment" by a simple majority. The articles of impeachment constitute the formal allegations. Upon their passage, the defendant has been "impeached."

Next, the Senate tries the accused. In the case of the impeachment of a President, the Chief Justice of the United States presides over the proceedings. Otherwise, the Vice President, in his capacity of President of the Senate, or the President pro tempore of the Senate presides. This would include the impeachment of the Vice President him- or herself. In order to convict the accused, a two-thirds majority of the senators present is required.

Following conviction, the Senate may vote to punish the individual only by removing him from office, or by barring him from holding future office, or both. Alternatively, it may impose no punishment. However in the case of executive officers, removal follows automatically upon conviction. The defendant remains liable to criminal prosecution. It is possible to impeach someone even after the accused has vacated his office in order to disqualify the person from such emoluments of office as a pension.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment

Furthermore, impeachment is preceded by a resolution of inquiry -- just in case you were wondering.

[Jawja]

26. Impeachment will not go to

the Supreme Court. It happens in the Senate. Chief Justice Roberts would conduct the hearings.

[bigwillq]

4. I heard that last night too

on her show. Did you hear that women caller from Florida?? She thinks there's a horse trade going on too. That Florida woman made a bit of sense but she was cuckoo.

[CubFan7125]

5. What Would It Matter?

So they have an impeachment hearing & vote it down. Then what. the creature is more powerful then before. Doesn't sound like a good deal for me. I am personally against impeachment for many reason but the main one is that as long as the Republican party has both chambers whats the point.

[montana500]

34. why are you against impeachment?

Are you "just fine" with the Cubs not winning for 97 years too?

[WI_DEM]

6. No dice

Alito not on the court isn't as big a disaster for the GOP as their president going thru impeachment and all the dirty secrets being revealed.

[Zan_of_Texas]

7. Bush is out in 2.5 years regardless.

Alito, at age 55, has a life expectancy of 28 more years -- the equivalent of seven consecutive presidential terms.

Besides, I don't trust a Republican as far as a nano- molecule.

[melody]

9. I agree and also ...

The only thing worse for the GOP than Shrub being impeached is his crony mechanism blocking its natural course. Doesn't matter how they've stacked the deck, the high card is still going to be the joker.

Bush will actually come out looking worse before the American public if the idiots try to prevent his impeachment.

[acmejack]

8. He said that, but he is fork tongued Con liar too.

[hwmnbn]

10. I don't trust that asshole....

regardless, with Alito on the court, it doesn't matter who's president.

[Dinger]

12. I'm Sick Of Us Giving, Just So We Have The "Opportunity"

to give some more. Fuck that.

[DoYouEverWonder]

13. Lindsey needs Alito on the bench

in order to save his own personal ass and he said so during the hearings. Just nobody was listening to him. They were distracted by Mrs. Alito's crocodile tears.

[Marie26]

33. But how would that ever come

before the Supreme Court?

[DoYouEverWonder]

36. Because people like Lindsey Graham

will appeal any case they are involved in all the way to the high court, knowing that they can win there because the deck is stacked in their favor.

That's why Graham said this to Alito during the hearings - "And I hope you'll understand if any us come before a court and we can't remember Abramoff, you will tend to believe us."

[Stand and Fight]

15. Sorry... Randi is wrong. She doesn't know what she's talking about.

:eyes: This is bullshit. Impeachment originates and concludes IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. What good would this do since Graham is a senator? Right. No good. It cannot very well get to the Senate if it has nothing to do with them in the first place. Impeachment is nothing more than criminal indictment, and the trials occurs in the Senate. If no charges are brought by the House, there is no trial in the Senate. Randi is wrong on this one. Sorry to burst the bubble.

[foreverdem]

31. Randi doesn't think it's impeachment

The caller did, but it was Randi who explained to her that impeachment starts in the House. Randi does think some kind of deal is going on, but she's not sure exactly what it is.

[Marie26]

32. A deal

For what it's worth, I had the sense there was some sort of "deal" regarding Graham & Alito as well. Graham was incredibly weird throughout the hearings, and it was his statements about "honor" & "money" that seemed to provoke the Ms. Alito crying fit. He also made sure to mention Abramoff often during the questioning. There's something going on there, in my (uninformed) opinion.

[Stand and Fight]

37. Thanks... The OP didn't state that. n/t

[Ian David]

16. If we give them Alito, then the president will not be convicted

Alito and his gang will let him walk

[Stand and Fight]

20. Wrong...

Alito and "his gang" have nothing to do with impeachment. It beings and ends in the House, so Randi is wrong. Impeachment is nothing more than criminal indictment, and only the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over the impeachment process. Alito would have nothing to do with it, so they can't "let him walk." :eyes:

[Ian David]

28. Roberts would decide this? n/t

[Stand and Fight]

38. No, he simply presides over the proceedings...

Like a judge would do in court. The Congress -- House of Representatives -- are the deciding party.

[Ian David]

17. CAN'T O'CONNOR CHANGE HER MIND AND NOT RESIGN!?!

[Just Me]

21. I thought about that the other day. Can we appeal to O'Conner to,...

,...withdraw her resignation and hang in there, FOR THE NATION? :shrug:

[KansDem]

25. I don't think so...

You're talking about someone who was visibly upset when she learned that a Democrat was elected in 2000 because it upset her retirement plans.

I don't think she really cares what the GOP Supreme Court will do...

[Just Me]

18. One problem: can the executive appeal an impeachment to SCOTUS?

:shrug:

[Stand and Fight]

22. Sigh... No.

Impeachment are criminal charges -- an indictment. You can't appeal an indictment...

[BootinUp]

19. The House Impeaches, not the Senate.

[Stand and Fight]

23. Seems you actually know the law...

It's nice to see that. It's like putting out brush fires on this thread. I'm surprised so many people aren't familiar with the process given that it has happened once (twice by some estimates) in recent history.

[mom cat]

24. Promices, Promices...I am tired of being strung along. Alito is

now.
Keep fighting.

[Innocent Smith]

27. Not going to happen

The Repubs are not going to impeach Bush.

[Quixote1818]

29. If they think it will help them retain the congress they might

Any Republicans who are in danger of getting voted out would jump right in on the impeachment if they thought it could help them hold on to their jobs. If it means the Republicans stay in power I say we wait to impeach Bush until after the midterms.

[Innocent Smith]

30. It wouldn't help them hold their seats

The hard core base that supports Bush is also the same voters that overwhelming vote for the Repubs. The Repubs in congress are not going to piss off their base.

[tnlefty]

35. I thought that she said that Specter was willing to do this to ensure

that the wiretaps (NSA domestic spying) investigation hearings would be done through the Senate Judiciary Cmtte. as opposed to the Intelligence Cmtte. (under Robberts - R- KS) so that the hearings would be more open to the public. She played a clip of Specter using the "I" word on the McLaughlin(sp?) Group's discussion.