Impeachment Update: Senate Republicans Threaten to Dismiss Articles; Pelosi Promises to Send Them Next Week

The impeachment controversy on Capitol Hill intensified this week as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) continued to hold on to the impeachment articles approved by the House of Representatives on December 18 rather than deliver them to the Senate to begin that chamber’s constitutional duty of conducting a trial.
The week began with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) introducing a resolution that would change Senate rules to allow for the dismissal of impeachment articles if they are not delivered to the Senate within 25 calendar days. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) later introduced a different resolution calling on Speaker Pelosi to “immediately” appoint impeachment managers and transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate. Then Pelosi vaguely hinted that she would deliver the articles “soon” without explaining what that meant. And Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told his caucus on Thursday to expect the trial to get underway next week.
It appears McConnell knew what he was talking about, as Pelosi on Friday informed her colleagues that, “I have asked Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler to be prepared to bring to the Floor next week a resolution to appoint managers and transmit articles of impeachment to the Senate.”
What caused the Speaker’s change of heart? She doesn’t seem to have gained anything from the delay. McConnell won the faux controversy over the demand for a “fair trial” when he announced he had the votes to use the procedural rules from President Clinton’s impeachment trial, approved unanimously by the Senate in 1999. Maybe that changed Pelosi’s mind. It’s also possible that she was moved by the increasing calls from Senate Democrats for Pelosi to end the delay. Whatever it was, next week should be interesting.
One caveat to next week’s fireworks. The Speaker only promised a House vote on appointing managers and approving the delivery of the articles. Nothing in her statement to fellow Democrats set a date certain for delivery of the articles. Is she leaving herself some wiggle-room in case she wants to extract some sort of last-minute concession from McConnell? We’ll know soon.
Related: What Does an Impeachment Trial in the Senate Look Like?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bruce Hausknecht, J.D., is an attorney who serves as Focus on the Family’s judicial analyst. He is responsible for research and analysis of legal and judicial issues related to Christians and the institution of the family, including First Amendment freedom of religion and free speech issues, judicial activism, marriage, homosexuality and pro-life matters. He also tracks legislation and laws affecting these issues. Prior to joining Focus in 2004, Hausknecht practiced law for 17 years in construction litigation and as an associate general counsel for a large ministry in Virginia. He was also an associate pastor at a church in Colorado Springs for seven years, primarily in worship music ministry. Hausknecht has provided legal analysis and commentary for top media outlets including CNN, ABC News, NBC News, CBS Radio, The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Boston Globe and BBC radio. He’s also a regular contributor to The Daily Citizen. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Illinois and his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law. Hausknecht has been married since 1981 and has three adult children, as well as three adorable grandkids. In his free time, Hausknecht loves getting creative with his camera and capturing stunning photographs of his adopted state of Colorado.