Lindsey Graham to Force Pelosi's Hand on Impeachment: Put Up or We Will Shut You Down

Nick Arama reporting for RedState

Senate Judiciary Chair Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is warning House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: Deliver the articles of impeachment by the end of the week or we will “take matters in our own hands.” 

He called Pelosi’s antics a “political stunt” and said neither he nor McConnell would stand for it.

“What I would do, if she continues to refuse to send the articles as required by the Constitution, I would work with Senator McConnell to change the rules of the Senate so we could start the trial without her, if necessary,” Graham proposed.

When asked how long he would wait before taking this step, Graham replied, “Days, not weeks.”

“Well, we’re not going to let Nancy Pelosi use the rules of the Senate to her advantage. This is dangerous to the presidency as an institution,” Graham said. “They impeached the president, but the speaker of the hosue is holding the articles back, trying to extort from the majority leader of the Senate a trial to her liking. They’re trying to hold these articles over the head of the president.”

He can do that as long as he can guarantee at least 51 votes to get him there. They have 53 Republicans so they have to hope for not many defections. Hopefully, enough of them are together at this point, over the ridiculous actions of Pelosi. 

He said that when they move on the articles, they would use the Clinton model of impeachment, take the record from the House, then allow each side, the House and then the President, to present their arguments. Then they would decide if any witnesses were needed. He said that he anticipated that would take about two weeks and would be done by the end of January, assuming they moved around Pelosi. 

He said if she didn’t deliver them given notice, they would deem them delivered and move ahead without her, but invite the House to participate according to the Clinton model. “If they don’t come, dismiss the case and get on with governing the country,” he finished.

Good for him. Let’s get this farce out of the way already. But even if that fails, Democrats still lose because they have been exposed for not moving it forward and failing to keep their Constitutional obligation and that point can be hammered away between now and the election, showing what a farce impeachment is.