Democrats Should Put Republicans on Trial During Impeachment
Trump built a trap for the GOP. It’s time to use it.
The leading House Democrats responsible for impeachment, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, originally argued Congress should not proceed without bipartisan support for removing the president from office. Based on that proposition, some have mourned Democrats’ failure to “convince” Republican members of Congress to support the impeachment of Donald Trump. This criticism fails to account for the contemporary reality of the GOP’s absolute fealty to Trump. Because of Trump’s control of his party, impeachment simply cannot result in the removal of the president, regardless of the gravity of the evidence against Trump.
But if properly undertaken, the proceedings might well contribute to further delegitimizing the entire GOP, not just its leader. The means for achieving that goal is not “reasoning” with Republican senators during Trump’s trial. Rather, the House impeachment managers prosecuting the case, together with Democratic senators, should treat Republicans as the defendants, along with Trump, by relentlessly highlighting their commitment to defending his misconduct, wholly regardless of the evidence. In accomplishing this goal, Democrats will have a crucial ally: Donald Trump.
