The details about former President Donald Trump’s behavior and lack of action as the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol unfolded have left some wondering what should happen once the committee investigating the day finishes its probe.
Amanda Carpenter, a writer for The Bulwark — a publication comprised of many “Never Trump” writers — raised one possible idea for making sure the former president does not win the Republican nomination again: a third impeachment.
During a segment of “The Bulwark Podcast” Monday, Carpenter said, “We have three tracks that are available ahead: the Department of Justice can prosecute, politically voters can reject Trump again — although nothing will stop him from getting on the ballot.”
“Unless do you think it’s an option for Congress to contemplate impeaching him again based on all the new evidence coming forward?” she asked.
Carpenter admitted that the idea “sounds crazy.” However, she argued the country would be in a “bit of a predicament” if Congress did nothing to disqualify Trump.
“How can we do nothing? But at the same time, how can we do something so radical as to maybe impeach him again in an attempt to disqualify him from office?” she asked.
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Guest Will Saletan, a writer for The Bulwark, suggested that Democrats would not impeach Trump because the Senate already acquitted him twice.
However, Carpenter said, “This is just sort of where my thinking is, the House could impeach him again for the record to say, as a body we believe according to these new facts again he is fundamentally unfit for office and should be disqualified as such.”
“I’m just throwing it out there. I mean, honestly, this is a thought experiment. I’m not necessarily advocating for it. But these are the questions that I have,” she added.
The first two impeachment efforts did not work to break Trump’s hold over the party, is she just thinking that the third time’s the charm?
If she wants to ensure that he wins again, that’s actually a perfect way to do that: impeach a former president over a year and a half after he left office, knowing full well that he would not be convicted in the Senate just to say, “We really, really, really don’t like this guy and think he’s unfit for office.”
That would give Trump all the leverage he needs to claim, “The Washington establishment swamp is so scared of me and how I fought for you that they’re targeting me to prevent me from running again.” To be fair, he would probably say that anyways, but a third impeachment would give him more ammunition.
And even though this was just a “thought experiment” that House Democrats likely would not be crazy enough to entertain, if they did, maybe only two Republicans would vote for the impeachment: Reps. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) and Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.).
While the Democrats would probably have the votes to impeach Trump, why would Republicans care? They would, at this point, probably view it as a partisan exercise designed to hurt him and ignore it.
And some Republicans, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), would probably take the precedent and then expand it to impeach President Joe Biden after his passing.
Trying to use the impeachment process as a messaging tool will only defang its potency and decrease the already low chance of convictions because it will just be seen as a meaningless political weapon.