House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats remained open to launching a second impeachment this year in order to block President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick.
“You want people to get out and vote, and even there’s no guarantee that the White House and Senate Republicans won’t try to push through a Supreme Court nomination in a lame-duck session,” ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos said during an interview with the Democratic leader on “This Week.”
“Some have mentioned the possibility if they try to push through a nominee in a lame-duck session that you and the House can move to impeach President Trump or Attorney General Barr as a way of stalling and preventing the Senate from acting on this nomination,” he said.
“We have our options,” Pelosi said, refusing to rule out the extreme measure after their last failed attempt earlier this year that distracted the federal government from the novel Wuhan coronavirus brewing into a global pandemic overseas. “We have arrows in our quiver that I’m not about to discuss right now.”
UNHINGED: Former Clinton aide George Stephanopoulos floats impeaching @realDonaldTrump or AG Bill Barr to Nancy Pelosi to prevent Trump from filling the vacancy on the Supreme Court.
Pelosi: "We have our options. We have arrows in our quiver that I’m not about to discuss…" pic.twitter.com/YHLx6j0T13
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) September 20, 2020
Pelosi’s extreme statement that the House could consider launching impeachment 2.0 over the president using his constitutionally mandated authority to fill a Supreme Court vacancy comes as Democrats also prepare to pack the high court if swept into power next year. The same party accusing Trump of executing a fatal assault on the nation’s institutions has also not let up on dismantling the electoral college.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away Friday night at the age of 87 over complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer, leaving open a Supreme Court vacancy less than 50 days from the November election.
While only 44 days remain until the November contest, several prior justices have been nominated and confirmed in shorter time, including Justices Sandra Day O’Connor, John Paul Stevens, and Ginsburg.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pledged Friday he would ensure Trump’s nominee would receive a full chamber vote. Trump urged Republicans Saturday to move quickly on the process in order to fulfill their elected duties.
“We have this obligation, without delay!” Trump said.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1307321159113936896?s=20
The president released an updated list of potential nominees to the high court earlier this month.
