McConnell now speaking along these lines. "History matters, and precedent matters."
(The precedent that's useful to him here is, all previous presidential impeachments have been based on violating federal laws.)
(The precedent that's useful to him here is, all previous presidential impeachments have been based on violating federal laws.)
McConnell is not particularly interested in the precedent of past presidents not pressuring foreign governments to investigate their potential reelection rivals.
McConnell now giving the obvious response to Pelosi's suggestion that she'll withhold transmitting the impeachment articles for now — claiming it's an admission that their case is weak.
"If the Speaker ever gets her house in order, that mess will be dumped in the Senate’s lap," McConnell says.
(Seems to mean he will not start the Senate trial without Pelosi sending the articles over, as some experts suggested he can. But not done talking yet.)
(Seems to mean he will not start the Senate trial without Pelosi sending the articles over, as some experts suggested he can. But not done talking yet.)
McConnell says "unprecedented" approximately a zillion times, to describe the impeachment effort.
(Again, he doesn't mean that pressuring a foreign government to investigate your domestic political rival is unprecedented.)
(Again, he doesn't mean that pressuring a foreign government to investigate your domestic political rival is unprecedented.)
McConnell says the Senate should make legal judgments but also consider "questions about what outcome best serves the nation." (A common argument from Dem senators in 1999.)
McConnell closes his speech without giving any further details on timing or the specifics of the trial. But reiterates that "only one outcome" is suitable (acquittal).
"The Senate’s duty is clear. When the time comes, we must fulfill it."
"The Senate’s duty is clear. When the time comes, we must fulfill it."
