It’s early on Jan 6 - but let’s assume that House and Senate Republicans go through with their threat to object to the slate of electors from several swing states, on the basis of no evidence.
When the dust settles, and both House and Senate are in Democratic majorities, should Pelosi and Schumer take action against those who voted to obstruct the election? Basically, they participated in a failed coup attempt.
Personally, I think they should be expelled, but that seems unlikely. But perhaps they should be stripped of all committee assignments? Censured? Have their staff budgets cut?
What they have done and say they are going to do are awful. They are smashing democratic norms. They are undermining democratic processes.
They also aren’t violating any actual rules or laws. What they’re doing simply isn’t a coup. Expelling members of the minority party for taking positions the majority party doesn’t like would itself be a smashing of democratic norms and an undermining of democratic processes. Cutting their staff budgets wouldn’t be in the same league, but that kind of retaliation would also be a terrible precedent.
As to stripping them of committee assignments or similar measures, I’m not familiar enough with the inner workings of Congress, but I think that’s up to their caucus, not the Speaker or Majority Leader. And, again, I think that sort of retaliation is antithetical to the very norms and institutions it would supposedly be in defense of.
A vote of censure seems like a more reasonable reaction. But, as a practical political matter, I’m not convinced it’s the best course of action. I’m not arguing against it, I’m just saying I’m unsure.
By law sedition involves military action, not just objecting to the democratic process through words.
Now, if they invited militias to physically try to overthrow the government by convincing them that there was rampant fraud that would probably count, but I hope it never goes beyond some grumpy crowds in DC on the roads.
They’re objecting to the slate of electors entirely without evidence and with no alternative electors presented, solely for the purpose of substituting their preferred candidate for the one chosen by the states. That’s a violation of their oath to uphold the Constitution.
I’d like to think: vote them out. Cruz was pressured by Beto, right? And Texas is slowly leaning blue. Maybe he’ll be ex-senator Cruz after his next election?
Trump’s Insurrectionists have broken through the barriers and past the police, and are entering the Capitol. There are injuries and reportedly blood on the steps of the Capitol. Trump openly called for this great betrayal of the Democratic process, and he should get full blame for what is currently happening.
What section of the Constitution requires them to have evidence and present an alternative slate of electors in order to object to a slate of electors?
Again, I’m not defending their actions, which are atrocious, but they’re not committing any crime or violating any actual Congressional rules that I can see. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
I’m seeing reports from multiple outlets (as of 14:23 Eastern) that protesters have overrun barriers on the Capitol grounds, the Capitol is on lockdown, and two buildings are being evacuated, but I haven’t seen any reports that the Capitol itself has been breached, nor any reports of “blood on the steps.”
What can happen is they could be kept off all committees and given a broom closet as their office, with a yearly budget of $1.52- dont spend it all in one place, now!
When they reconvene, McConnell needs to tell his caucus that if they object to the count, they will be expelled by the Senate. No way crazy House Reps can be controlled, but McConnell should be able to control the much smaller number of treasonous Senators.