House Majority James Clyburn (D-SC) on Sunday raised the possibility of House Democrats choosing to wait until after President-elect Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office to send any articles of impeachment against President Trump to the Senate.
During an interview on CNN Sunday morning, Clyburn said that the delay in sending articles of impeachment to the Senate would help Biden address his priorities in Congress, before the focus turns to a time consuming trial for the second impeachment of President Trump, following the sitting president’s incitement of the mob violence in the Capitol last week.
“We’ll take the vote that we should take in the House, and (House Speaker Nancy Pelosi) will make the determination as to when is the best time to get that vote and get the managers appointed and move that legislation over to the Senate,” Clyburn said.
“It just so happens that if it didn’t go over there for 100 days, it could — let’s give President-elect Biden the 100 days he needs to get his agenda off and running, and maybe we’ll send the articles sometime after that.”
Clyburn’s remarks come after Pelosi said that Democrats are prepared to proceed this week with impeaching Trump for egging on his supporters prior to the Capitol siege. House Democrats have gained 190 co-sponsors thus far for the impeachment resolution they plan to introduce on Monday.
According to Politico, Pelosi and her leadership team discussed several pathways for holding Trump accountable after the inciting the deadly insurrection at the Capitol during a two-hour call Saturday night. Several top Democrats, including Clyburn, aired concerns of efforts for Biden’s Cabinet picks or the passage of a COVID-19 relief package would be postponed for weeks by a Senate impeachment trial.
The Washington Post first reported that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) clearly outlined in a memo sent to Republican senators on Friday that the Senate will not return to session until Jan. 19, meaning that the earliest possible date that impeachment trial proceedings can start in the Senate is the day before Biden’s inauguration.
Watch Clyburn’s remarks below:
Rep. James Clyburn says while he expects the House will take action on the article of impeachment against Pres. Trump this week, House Democrats might wait until after President-elect Biden's first 100 days in office to send the article to the Senate. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/aLjjNWAxG9
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) January 10, 2021
