The spotlight will not be soft, it will be blinding. And the evidence will be clear—captured in 21st Century reality—tweets, videos and speeches all captured digitally, which means forevermore. History, not another political poll, will weigh actions.
The official record will go well beyond the evidence. Arguments will be made and this will not be a Sunday morning edition of Meet The Press. The arguments will be about the Constitution and about thresholds of behavior. Not about fiscal probity or taxes or abortion. When, it will be asked, is it not impeachable for the certified loser in a Presidential election to ask supporters to march, not on Washington, but in revolt on a Constitutional procedure to certify an election in the Capitol?
The voters, the elite 100, United States Senators all, will function not so much as jurors but as reflections of who we and they are. This will be easy for Democrats—they will all scream guilty. It is the Republicans who will have to decide between the broad gauge of history or the narrow gauge of political passion.
I have been ambivalent about the second stage of impeachment because America has new leadership and they have much to do and need to be measured as their nominations, plans and actions unfold. But, now that up or down will be a reality, it is a good test for the 50 Senators that sit on the Republican side of the aisle.
They should ask, what is the Republican Party? Does it still reflect, at least in some respect, the values of its founder, Abraham Lincoln, or its notables Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan or just the frothy passions and tumult of a raucous four years?
Editors at The Federalist, translate the prevailing question to politics, characterizing a vote to convict as, for Republicans, an act of “political suicide”.
The Federalist is walking along a trench well traveled; its sides have become steep and it takes some real strength to even try a path less travelled. Everything, and I mean everything, in Washington gets translated into “is it good for Republicans or Democrats in the next election?”. What about using the Constitution and the moral values that informed it as the gauge in this historic moment?
So, we will all be watching. We will be living room jurors. Conviction or no is on the table. Will we weigh the evidence or have we prejudged it? Is there a line—a line on the other side of which conduct should be punished? If there is no line then why is there a provision for impeachment? What is the more repugnant in a Democracy, stealing money or attempting to steal an election? Make no mistake, this vote will be definitional for some time to come.
Lines, of course, are drawn by people who come to the definition with some prejudices. I can say without question that if Trump was a Democrat, the line drawn would not even be close on the Republican side. And if that is true and if this is a historic, not just another political vote, then we, citizens and Senators alike, should all be careful because the vote is not about the man (he is already out of office), but about the precedent.
When Senators explain their vote their words should be elevated above campaign rhetoric. Were various Democrats underhanded in associating Trump with a Russian collusion narrative? Yes, but that question is not before the Senate; the influence of the Russian collusion allegations was determined in the last election. The question before the United States Senate was precipitated by the assault on the Capitol and events implicating the President that led to that rebellion.
The penultimate poll on the impeachment of Donald J. Trump has been taken. On the Republican side, only ten Members in the House of Representatives found Trump’s actions impeachable. Most of the arguments against impeachment sounded like a continuation of the political campaign. Of course the Senate, with a lofty self-regard, believes one of its important tasks is to cool the passions of the House—to seek wisdom, not to rubber-stamp the other assembly. We’ll see.
The political campaign ended on November 3, 2020. Arguments, investigations, and court decisions followed concluding that President Biden won. So the question now is about inciting insurrection. All in favor?
Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al recently published Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books.
JT Smith says
I vehemently disagree with my friend Al when he characterizes various Democrats as engaging in “ underhanded” conduct in characterizing Trump as involved in collusion with Russia. The records established by Mueller and the Senate Intelligence Committee document extensive “ collusion” between Russians and the Trump campaign. That Mueller determined that this collusive activity did not comprise an indictable “ conspiracy” in no way justifies Al’s belief in the Trumpian “ no-collusion” narrative. Indeed Trump engaged in possible obstructions of justice in an attempt to stymie Mueller’s investigation on this score.
Howard Freedlander says
If Al is calling for a whiff of statesmanship—even a smidgeon of integrity—I suspect such behavior is unlikely. That Trump incited a riot through his bombastic words and flouted election procedures through his illegal attempt to disregard legitimate votes by Georgia citizens by trying to intimidate Georgia’s Secretary of State—these are realities that Republican senators wii find inconvenient for fear of irritating an ex-president still wielding bullying power. Backbone is a scarce commodity in our once respected U.S. Senate.
Connie Lauffer says
Unfortunately “the political campaign ended on November 3” is not really accurate. The campaigns never end and that’s part of the problem.
It’s all about getting reelected and has little to do with serving the people.
Maybe it’s time for term limits!
William Dalton says
Al, this time you have engaged in a lot of “Washington Speak”. Here we have a mob being encouraged by our President to “fight like hell” or you will lose your government. A Presedent who encourages the mob to attack in order to overturn an election that has been stolen from them which he knows is a lie. His speech clearly supports law-breaking and violence in general directly encouraging the mob to take unlawful action immediately. His speech was clearly directed to incite and produce imminent lawless action which he knew or should have known would produce such action, and it did as attested to by many of the mob who have been interviewed after the event. This is not political but outright sedition for all to see. Where is there courage to act and carry out a Constitutional duty? I am afraid we are witnessing evidence that our democracy is no different than historical democracies that were unable to survive the failure of our leaders to acceptt responsibility that comes with a democracy.
Brice Gamber says
The responders to Al’s thoughtful piece, are speaking through the clarity of their lens of partisan politics. I am struck by an analogy to the Trial in Alice in Wonderland. Perhaps worth a read in this time of “reconciliation”
Rev Julie Hart says
Watch the videos. Read the Tweets. Hear his words and their tone. By his own self, his own words, his own actions he has condemned himself. Any person who has watched him, heard him, read his words, KNOWS. There is no doubt!
Bob Parker says
Each Republican need ask him or herself only 2 questions: 1. How would I vote if this were Jan 2020 and not 2021, and 2. How would I vote if this were about President Obama (or any Dem President). If you would vote to convict in 2020, then you need to convict now. If you would vote to convict a Dem President, then you need to vote to convict now. If you wouldn’t convict if this were 2020, then you care not about our democracy, and if you say you wouldn’t vote to convict a Dem President in the same situation, then you are lying to yourself and to the country, as your actions during the Obama administration and your actions during the trump administration tell the truth.
Elizabeth Hott says
To save our democracy the truth must be told. Not only should the former president be found guilty of inciting insurrection, but the Big Lie of election fraud must be exposed to all his supporters. When Mitch Romney spoke about Republican Senators telling the base the truth about not only the election but all the thousands of lies fed to them over the past 4 years he was exactly right. But instead we are witnessing the amazing spinelessness of a group who only wants to stay in office and our country be damned. It is so past time for term limits.