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In reply to the discussion: "I don't think it's smart to start impeachment proceedings right now. We have to lay the groundwork" [View all]StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)Last edited Sat May 18, 2019, 09:52 PM - Edit history (2)
1. Mnuchin, the tax returns and unredacted report have already been subpoenaed. McGahn and other witnesses will be subpoenaed if they don't respond to the requests to appear - a process that MUST be followed in order to accomplish all of the other things you're demanding.
2. "Immediately proceed to the courts and demand an expedited hearing." That's not how it works. Among other things, you don't just go run to court and demand anything, at least if you actually want to get it. Congress must exhaust all extra-judicial remedies before a court will entertain a request that it intervene. The next step necessary to get a contempt order (expedited or otherwise) is for the Judiciary Committee to vote to recommend a contempt citation, and once that measure passes in the Committee, it will be referred to the floor for a vote of the full House. The vote will be scheduled and taken according to House rules and procedures.
3. Only after the process set forth above is completed can Congress invoke its inherent contempt authority to "lock 'em up." Even then, there are numerous logistical issues related to arresting and jailing the Secretary of the Treasury and Attorney General of the United States and others (such as how does the Sergeant-at-Arms effectuate the arrest of a high government official under 24-7 protection of the U.S. Secret Service and FBI).
4. Once these and numerous other procedures are complied with, and the subjects still haven't cooperated, the courts can consider the matter.
FYI, Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Nadler and the other Democratic leaders are fully aware of all of these options - surely just as aware as you and I are and, undoubtedly more so - and are in the process of working through and preparing for all of their next moves. The fact that they haven't publicly telegraphed their next steps or their "roadmap" to you doesn't mean they're just sitting around waiting for activists on DU to tell them what to do. They're obviously smart enough to know that the last thing they need to do is tell the world everything they're planning to do before they do it just so the most agitated members of the base feel a sense of security that the Democratic leadership is handling all of the details of this complicated and unprecedented situation to their satisfaction.
I also have no doubt that even if they DID publicly communicate all of their strategies and planned moves, that STiLL wouldn't be good enough for many of the people here, who will second-guess them regardless what they're doing.