The Wire

Watch: Chief Justice Smashes Senate Democrats Hail Mary Impeachment Play

January 31, 2020

On Friday night Chief Justice John Roberts smashed Senate Democrats last ditched impeachment hail mary.

This week Democrats have been attempting to find ways to get Chief Justice Roberts to intervene in the impeachment trial of President Trump. Previously, ABC News reported that Democrat Senator Chris Van Hollen was going to attempt to get the Chief Justice involved.

ABC News reported:

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., has said he plans to introduce a motion on Friday that would call for Roberts to rule on subpoenas for witnesses, documents, and questions on executive privilege around the additional information Democrats’ want to bring into the impeachment trial.

“No Republican can question the fairness of this approach- the Chief Justice oversees the highest court in our land and was nominated by a Republican President. And, given his authority to rule on questions of privilege, they should not fear a drawn-out process,” Van Hollen wrote in a statement posted on Twitter.

“I urge my colleagues to seek out the truth and the facts and to vote in support of my motion. Anything else constitutes an effort to hide the truth,” he said.

After the Senate voted against having witnesses testify in the impeachment trial Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) tried to get the Chief Justice involved. Schumer brought up the role of the chief justice in the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson. During that trial, the justice made deciding votes after a deadlocked vote from lawmakers.

“Is the Chief Justice aware that in the impeachment trial of President Johnson, Chief Justice Chase as presiding officer cast tie-breaking votes on both March 31st and April 2nd, 1868?” Schumer asked.

“I am, Mr. Leader. The one concerned a motion to adjourn, the other concerned a motion to close deliberations. I do not regard those isolated episodes 150 years ago as sufficient to support a general authority to break ties,” Roberts responded.

“If the members of this body, elected by the people and accountable to them, divide equally on a motion, the normal rule is that the motion fails. I think it would be inappropriate for me, an unelected official from a different branch of government, to assert the power to change that result so that the motion would succeed.”

There you have it, the Democrats fantasy just went up in smoke, mushroom cloud-like smoke.