Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) knows he is about to open the door to Pandora’s Box, so he is making sure he has a safety measure in place just in case things go sideways.
Knowing that Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and the House managers will want to turn the impeachment into a circus if possible, McConnell has reportedly installed a kill switch into the rules that could put a shocking and quick end to this debacle.
The Kill Switch
Rather than allow the Democrats to prolong this trial, President Trump’s legal team will have the option to request an immediate vote.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) stated, “I am familiar with the resolution as it stood a day or two ago.
“My understanding is that the resolution will give the president’s team the option to either move to judgment or to move to dismiss at a meaningful time…”
As word of the kill switch started to circulate, President Trump also chimed in via Twitter, stating, “Many believe that by the Senate giving credence to a trial based on the no evidence, no crime, read the transcripts, ‘no pressure’ Impeachment Hoax, rather than an outright dismissal, it gives the partisan Democrat Witch Hunt credibility that it otherwise does not have. I agree!”
The kill switch, however, has met with some resistance within the party.
This is not necessarily to trap Trump but rather to ensure the Democrats cannot say the trial was rigged or a sham.
Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) stated, “Our members generally are not interested in a motion to dismiss.
“They think both sides need to be heard. They believe the president needs to be heard for the first time in a fair setting.”
The Circus
We can expect this trial to go full bore this week.
Opening arguments are expected to take place and McConnell has hinted to some behind the scenes that he may prolong the sessions in order to get through that phase of the trial as quickly as possible.
There is little doubt among Republicans right now that as this plays out, the Democrat case against Trump will get weaker than it already is, leading to a bipartisan acquittal.
If and when that happens, Dems will continue to hold onto the “he’s impeached forever” narrative but this may play out far worse for today’s Dems when history has its say than it will for Donald Trump.