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(And yes, I'm proud of this metaphor I just invented: "Pelosi's strategy of not pulling the trigger until the gun is loaded." I think it nicely sums up the counterargument to all the (understandable) calls to "impeach now, dammit!")
Thread: Here's some Watergate history informing my sense that Pelosi's not anti-impeachment, but just trying to "load the gun before pulling the trigger":
1973:
Feb. 7: Senate "Watergate committee" formed to investigate possible campaign violations by both sides, NOT impeachment
May 17: Senate televised hearings begin
June 27: John Dean reveals existence of "enemies list" during Senate hearing
...
Feb. 7: Senate "Watergate committee" formed to investigate possible campaign violations by both sides, NOT impeachment
May 17: Senate televised hearings begin
June 27: John Dean reveals existence of "enemies list" during Senate hearing
...
July 16: Existence of White House tapes made public in Senate hearing
1974:
Feb. 6: House authorizes Judiciary Committee impeachment inquiry. It begins not with hearings, but by issuing subpoenas in April, then litigating the WH's refusal to comply
...
1974:
Feb. 6: House authorizes Judiciary Committee impeachment inquiry. It begins not with hearings, but by issuing subpoenas in April, then litigating the WH's refusal to comply
...
May 9: House Judiciary Committee impeachment hearings finally begin
June 15: Woodward & Bernstein's "All the President's Men" hits bookstores
June 27: Senate Watergate committee issues final report
July 24: SCOTUS orders Nixon to produce tapes
...
June 15: Woodward & Bernstein's "All the President's Men" hits bookstores
June 27: Senate Watergate committee issues final report
July 24: SCOTUS orders Nixon to produce tapes
...
July 27: First Article of Impeachment passes
Aug. 8: Nixon resigns
...
Aug. 8: Nixon resigns
...
Takeaways:
1. There were 15 months of televised NON-"impeachment" hearings before "impeachment" hearings began.
2. The House committee considering impeachment began not with public hearings, but by issuing and litigating subpoenas.
...
1. There were 15 months of televised NON-"impeachment" hearings before "impeachment" hearings began.
2. The House committee considering impeachment began not with public hearings, but by issuing and litigating subpoenas.
...
3. Journalists + congressional investigations revealed multiple smoking guns (turning public sentiment against Nixon) BEFORE "impeachment" hearings began.
4. Precisely because this groundwork has been laid, Nixon folded just 3 months after official impeachment hearings started.
4. Precisely because this groundwork has been laid, Nixon folded just 3 months after official impeachment hearings started.
Is this precisely how Trump's impeachment hearings will unfold? If course not. But is this the model Pelosi has in mind as she plays how to remove Trump? Almost certainly.
/thread
/thread
Exactly this. They're THIS CLOSE to getting Trump's financials from Mazars; there'll be impeachable material there. They're fighting to get the grand jury material underlying Mueller's investigation; that'll prove obstruction. She's just lining it all up.
I think it's electoral gamesmanship, aimed at ensuring voters don't see impeachment as merely partisan. She wants to look like Dems were forced to do it in the face of overwhelming evidence of misconduct. (If so, she's succeeding almost too well.)
1. They're not doing nothing: lawfareblog.com/oral-argument-…
2. "Impeachment" isn't as magical as people think: lawfareblog.com/what-powers-do…
3. Nixon didn't refuse to give CONGRESS tapes; he refused the special prosecutor: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_St…. So: apples/oranges.
2. "Impeachment" isn't as magical as people think: lawfareblog.com/what-powers-do…
3. Nixon didn't refuse to give CONGRESS tapes; he refused the special prosecutor: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_St…. So: apples/oranges.
