House Armed Services Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) broke with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi on CNN’s New Day over the articles of impeachment:
“I understand what the speaker is trying to do, basically trying to use the leverage of that to work with Democratic and Republican senators to try to get a reasonable trial, a trial that would actually show evidence, bring out witnesses,” Smith told CNN. “But at the end of the day, just like we control it in the House, [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell controls it in the Senate.”“I think it was perfectly advisable for the speaker to try to leverage that to get a better deal,” he continued. “At this point, it doesn’t look like that is going to happen. And yes, I think it is time to send the impeachment to the Senate and let Mitch McConnell be responsible for the fairness of the trial. He ultimately is.”
Apparently Smith is not the only one. Dana Bash said on the show she received “a text from a House Democrat who explained why they’re not saying it publicly…’because she, Nancy Pelosi, never forgets.'”
Pelosi has withheld the articles of impeachment until she knows all the details of the impeachment trial.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said since the House passed the articles that Pelosi will not dictate what happens in the Senate.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has carried Pelosi’s water in the senate. Despite this, powerful Senate Democrats broke away from Pelosi and Schumer on Wednesday.
Looks like Nancy had a talk with him. Nice political career you have there, Adam, shame if something happened to it.
He tweets:
I misspoke this morning, I do believe we should do everything we can to force the Senate to have a fair trial. If the Speaker believes that holding on to the articles for a longer time will help force a fair trial in the Senate, then I wholeheartedly support that decision.I am concerned that Senator McConnell won’t have a fair trial and I am with the Speaker that we should do everything we can to ensure he does. Ultimately, I do want the articles sent to the Senate for the very simple reason that I want the impeachment process to go forward.
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