Speaker Pelosi Should Send the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate

The impeachment inquiry resulted in impeachment. Donald J. Trump was therefore the third president in American history to be impeached. That part is done and is down in the history books, despite one constitutional scholar claiming that it's not "officially" an impeachment until the Articles of Impeachment are transmitted to the Senate.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi has delayed sending the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate. She has said that she is waiting for assurance that the Senate will conduct an impartial trial. She knows, as does everyone else, that a fair and impartial trial just isn't going to happen. Most Senators have made up their minds. Crucially, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already said publicly that he will coordinate with the White House regarding strategy. He has made it clear that he will call no witnesses and wants this to be a quick, pro forma process. Some Republicans are arguing that a partisan process favoring Trump is appropriate since, as they allege, the House process was partisan against Trump. So what are we waiting for?

Although she hasn't stated this overtly, surely Speaker Pelosi knows that there is no chance of conviction in the Senate. There's barely a chance of mild disagreement with Trump among Republicans, let alone 20 votes for removal from office. Perhaps she's trying to shine a spotlight on the fact that Republican Senators will ignore the evidence in order to salvage Trump's presidency. If that's the case, mission accomplished! McConnell has rightly stated that it is not appropriate for the Speaker of the House to attempt to set rules for the Senate. Speaker Pelosi has gotten as much mileage out of this that is possible. She made her point, it's time to transmit the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate.

Speaker Pelosi should hold a press conference and state that she is transmitting the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, since this is her constitutional duty despite indications from Senate leadership that they are not taking their constitutional duty seriously. She should add that she delayed sending the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate because she wanted to give Majority Leader McConnell the opportunity to assure the American people that there would be an impartial trial based on facts, not blind loyalty.

Do it today, Speaker Pelosi