House Republicans know that there are far more votes than they had hoped to pass Articles of Impeachment against President Donald Trump but that is not stopping them from taking a stand to stonewall the reason Wednesday’s session was gaveled in at 9 AM.
On Tuesday the Rules Committee agreed to six hours of debate, but Republicans began the day today by forcing sham votes they know have no chance of passing. Their goal is apparent: delay the impeachment vote into the dark of night – perhaps midnight – so they can further condemn what the majority of Americans believe is the correct course of action.
Republicans have already forced a vote to adjourn, which did not succeed – except to eat up time. Next up: a vote to formally condemn the top two Committee chairs who have managed the impeachment inquiry: Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-NY).
That motion also failed, 226-191:
These spurious motions have already stolen an hour of the House’s time: currently 431 Members of Congress, plus their staffs, and of course, the entire nation, many of whom are watching today’s historic events.
Next up: a debate on a rule setting terms of today’s debate, and then, finally, the six allotted hours of debate, which will in real time be closer to eight or more hours.
Stay tuned.