Quote:House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday announced the seven lawmakers who will serve as impeachment managers to prosecute the case against President Trump in his imminent Senate trial.

“This is about the Constitution of the United States,” Pelosi said, as she presented the Democrats' legal team and noted that she put an emphasis on "litigators" in assembling them.

The managers include House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who will be the lead manager and who directed much of the impeachment inquiry out of his committee, and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., whose panel drafted the articles of impeachment.

Pelosi also tapped House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.; Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo.; Val Demings, D-Fla.; Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas; and Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif.

Many of the managers were chosen because of their backgrounds: Lofgren has been involved in three presidential impeachment proceedings: as a Judiciary Committee staffer during former President Richard Nixon's and a committee member during former President Bill Clinton's impeachment, and now as a manager.

During Clinton’s impeachment in 1999, there were 13 House impeachment managers. Pelosi chose seven for Trump's trial.

Announcing the managers, Pelosi argued the charges against the president will be a stain on his legacy, dramatically referring to an "impeachment that will last forever." She said the House on Wednesday will pass a resolution to appropriate funds for the trial, and transmit the articles -- abuse of power and obstruction of Congress -- to the Senate.

"This is a very serious matter and we take it to heart in a really solemn way," Pelosi said. "It's about the Constitution, it's about the republic if we can keep it and [senators] shouldn’t be frivolous with the Constitution of the United States even though the president of the United States has."

She added: "The president is not above the law. He will be held accountable. He already has been held accountable. He has been impeached and you can never erase that."

Trump hit back in a tweet after the announcement: “Here we go again, another Con Job by the Do Nothing Democrats. All of this work was supposed to be done by the House, not the Senate!”

Pelosi defended her decision to delay sending the articles to the upper chamber for an entire month -- despite taunts from Republicans that it accomplished nothing -- saying that "time has been our friend in all of this because it has yielded incriminating evidence."

Pelosi, in holding back the impeachment articles for weeks, had sought to pressure Republicans to commit to allowing new testimony and documents. Some Republicans are open to this, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., wants to decide such matters after the process has started.

At the heart of the case is Trump's effort to convince Ukraine to launch investigations of Democrats, while his administration withheld military aid. Trump denies wrongdoing, while Democrats allege he abused the power of his office.

Meanwhile, a White House official told Fox News on Tuesday that the president’s legal defense team in the looming impeachment trial would be led by White House Counsel Pat Cipollone. The official said that Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow would also serve on the president’s defense, as well as Cipollone deputies Michael Purpura and Patrick Philbin.

The official told Fox News that other attorneys could cycle through or be on the floor in a support capacity, but that those details and types of decisions will be made by the president if and when he deems necessary.

After several days of procedural steps later this week, the Senate is poised to launch into the heart of the impeachment trial as early as next Tuesday. McConnell on Tuesday shot down the idea being floated by the president earlier this week of bypassing a trial and dismissing the articles altogether. GOP senators argue they'd rather pursue acquittal.

(01-15-2020 04:09 PM)Eldonabe Wrote:  This whole thing is Political theater 101.....


Deflect and defend..... accuse and debate..... Hyperbole up the whazzoo, fake outrage, grandstanding, lots and lots of monologueing..... and oh yes... money... lots and lots of money wasted.

Most importantly it is a circus of elected officials appearing as though they are actually doing something. Incredulous.....

(01-15-2020 04:15 PM)VA49er Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:09 PM)Eldonabe Wrote:  This whole thing is Political theater 101.....


Deflect and defend..... accuse and debate..... Hyperbole up the whazzoo, fake outrage, grandstanding, lots and lots of monologueing..... and oh yes... money... lots and lots of money wasted.

Most importantly it is a circus of elected officials appearing as though they are actually doing something. Incredulous.....

Yes, pure politial theater. The D's have learned that if they say the same thing over and over and over and over and over again their base will believe it no questions asked. Doesn't matter if it's all hearsay with no actual factual evidence. They know their base doesn't need that to follow them. All in all, I'm just glad this charade is now FINALLY heading to the Senate where we can be done with it once and for all.

(01-15-2020 04:17 PM)gdunn Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:15 PM)VA49er Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:09 PM)Eldonabe Wrote:  This whole thing is Political theater 101.....


Deflect and defend..... accuse and debate..... Hyperbole up the whazzoo, fake outrage, grandstanding, lots and lots of monologueing..... and oh yes... money... lots and lots of money wasted.

Most importantly it is a circus of elected officials appearing as though they are actually doing something. Incredulous.....

Yes, pure politial theater. The D's have learned that if they say the same thing over and over and over and over and over again their base will believe it no questions asked. Doesn't matter if it's all hearsay with no actual factual evidence. They know their base doesn't need that to follow them. All in all, I'm just glad this charade is now FINALLY heading to the Senate where we can be done with it once and for all.

Here's what will happen..

The Managers will grandstand.. The Senate will ask for proof... Ask to call the WB to testify.. More grandstanding.. The Senate will dismiss.

(01-15-2020 05:04 PM)fsquid Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:17 PM)gdunn Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:15 PM)VA49er Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:09 PM)Eldonabe Wrote:  This whole thing is Political theater 101.....


Deflect and defend..... accuse and debate..... Hyperbole up the whazzoo, fake outrage, grandstanding, lots and lots of monologueing..... and oh yes... money... lots and lots of money wasted.

Most importantly it is a circus of elected officials appearing as though they are actually doing something. Incredulous.....

Yes, pure politial theater. The D's have learned that if they say the same thing over and over and over and over and over again their base will believe it no questions asked. Doesn't matter if it's all hearsay with no actual factual evidence. They know their base doesn't need that to follow them. All in all, I'm just glad this charade is now FINALLY heading to the Senate where we can be done with it once and for all.

Here's what will happen..

The Managers will grandstand.. The Senate will ask for proof... Ask to call the WB to testify.. More grandstanding.. The Senate will dismiss.

Unsure there can be grandstanding at an impeachment trial, but with the current collection of yahoos, who knows.

(01-15-2020 05:11 PM)gdunn Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 05:04 PM)fsquid Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:17 PM)gdunn Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:15 PM)VA49er Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:09 PM)Eldonabe Wrote:  This whole thing is Political theater 101.....


Deflect and defend..... accuse and debate..... Hyperbole up the whazzoo, fake outrage, grandstanding, lots and lots of monologueing..... and oh yes... money... lots and lots of money wasted.

Most importantly it is a circus of elected officials appearing as though they are actually doing something. Incredulous.....

Yes, pure politial theater. The D's have learned that if they say the same thing over and over and over and over and over again their base will believe it no questions asked. Doesn't matter if it's all hearsay with no actual factual evidence. They know their base doesn't need that to follow them. All in all, I'm just glad this charade is now FINALLY heading to the Senate where we can be done with it once and for all.

Here's what will happen..

The Managers will grandstand.. The Senate will ask for proof... Ask to call the WB to testify.. More grandstanding.. The Senate will dismiss.

Unsure there can be grandstanding at an impeachment trial, but with the current collection of yahoos, who knows.

I'm willing to bet there'll be some.. Look at the "managers".. Two of them led inquiries so you know they'll grandstand to make the case for impeachment because otherwise others might've been picked. I dunno. I was too young when Clinton was impeached to understand fully what was going on and who the managers were for the hearing.

(01-15-2020 05:12 PM)fsquid Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 05:11 PM)gdunn Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 05:04 PM)fsquid Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:17 PM)gdunn Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:15 PM)VA49er Wrote:  Yes, pure politial theater. The D's have learned that if they say the same thing over and over and over and over and over again their base will believe it no questions asked. Doesn't matter if it's all hearsay with no actual factual evidence. They know their base doesn't need that to follow them. All in all, I'm just glad this charade is now FINALLY heading to the Senate where we can be done with it once and for all.

Here's what will happen..

The Managers will grandstand.. The Senate will ask for proof... Ask to call the WB to testify.. More grandstanding.. The Senate will dismiss.

Unsure there can be grandstanding at an impeachment trial, but with the current collection of yahoos, who knows.

I'm willing to bet there'll be some.. Look at the "managers".. Two of them led inquiries so you know they'll grandstand to make the case for impeachment because otherwise others might've been picked. I dunno. I was too young when Clinton was impeached to understand fully what was going on and who the managers were for the hearing.

Lindsey Graham was one.

(01-15-2020 04:13 PM)gdunn Wrote:  As my life coach stinkfist would say:

The fonzies are just starting.

(01-15-2020 05:13 PM)gdunn Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 05:12 PM)fsquid Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 05:11 PM)gdunn Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 05:04 PM)fsquid Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:17 PM)gdunn Wrote:  Here's what will happen..

The Managers will grandstand.. The Senate will ask for proof... Ask to call the WB to testify.. More grandstanding.. The Senate will dismiss.

Unsure there can be grandstanding at an impeachment trial, but with the current collection of yahoos, who knows.

I'm willing to bet there'll be some.. Look at the "managers".. Two of them led inquiries so you know they'll grandstand to make the case for impeachment because otherwise others might've been picked. I dunno. I was too young when Clinton was impeached to understand fully what was going on and who the managers were for the hearing.

Lindsey Graham was one.

But was he the head of one of the committees?

(01-15-2020 04:13 PM)gdunn Wrote:  As my life coach stinkfist would say:

The fonzies are just starting.

(01-15-2020 05:11 PM)gdunn Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 05:04 PM)fsquid Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:17 PM)gdunn Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:15 PM)VA49er Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:09 PM)Eldonabe Wrote:  This whole thing is Political theater 101.....


Deflect and defend..... accuse and debate..... Hyperbole up the whazzoo, fake outrage, grandstanding, lots and lots of monologueing..... and oh yes... money... lots and lots of money wasted.

Most importantly it is a circus of elected officials appearing as though they are actually doing something. Incredulous.....

Yes, pure politial theater. The D's have learned that if they say the same thing over and over and over and over and over again their base will believe it no questions asked. Doesn't matter if it's all hearsay with no actual factual evidence. They know their base doesn't need that to follow them. All in all, I'm just glad this charade is now FINALLY heading to the Senate where we can be done with it once and for all.

Here's what will happen..

The Managers will grandstand.. The Senate will ask for proof... Ask to call the WB to testify.. More grandstanding.. The Senate will dismiss.

Unsure there can be grandstanding at an impeachment trial, but with the current collection of yahoos, who knows.

I'm willing to bet there'll be some.. Look at the "managers".. Two of them led inquiries so you know they'll grandstand to make the case for impeachment because otherwise others might've been picked. I dunno. I was too young when Clinton was impeached to understand fully what was going on and who the managers were for the hearing.

(01-15-2020 04:15 PM)VA49er Wrote:  

(01-15-2020 04:09 PM)Eldonabe Wrote:  This whole thing is Political theater 101.....


Deflect and defend..... accuse and debate..... Hyperbole up the whazzoo, fake outrage, grandstanding, lots and lots of monologueing..... and oh yes... money... lots and lots of money wasted.

Most importantly it is a circus of elected officials appearing as though they are actually doing something. Incredulous.....

Yes, pure politial theater. The D's have learned that if they say the same thing over and over and over and over and over again their base will believe it no questions asked. Doesn't matter if it's all hearsay with no actual factual evidence. They know their base doesn't need that to follow them. All in all, I'm just glad this charade is now FINALLY heading to the Senate where we can be done with it once and for all.