Sen. Marsha Blackburn Joins Senate GOP Effort to Dismiss Trump Impeachment Charges

Republican U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee says she's joined a Missouri Republican colleague's now-introduced resolution that would allow dismissal of the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump if House Democrats withhold them from the Senate.

“After three years of searching for a reason to impeach this president, Democrats in the House cannot seem to find the time to send over the articles of impeachment,” Blackburn said of her joining fellow Republican freshman Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri's effort.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn joins Senate GOP effort to dismiss Trump impeachment charges if House doesn't send

Blackburn said “impeachment ought to be reserved for high crimes and misdemeanors — acts that, if identified, require the timely and prompt removal of a president. If House Democrats are so confident in their findings, they ought to have no problem sending the articles over within a 25-day deadline.”

Republican senators' efforts, which includes Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, would change Senate rules to allow a motion to dismiss articles of impeachment for lack of prosecution.

(Read more: President Donald Trump impeached by US House on charges of abuse of power, obstruction)

The Democratic-led House on Dec. 18 voted to to approve two articles of impeachment against Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over his conduct toward Ukraine as well as the president's refusal to cooperate with the lower chamber's inquiry.

The Senate is to hold a trial. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, has yet to send the articles of impeachment to the Senate because of concerns the Senate would not allow a fair process.

Trump is only the third president in U.S. history to be impeached.

A former state attorney general, Hawley last week tweeted “Dems said impeachment was URGENT. Now they don't want to have a trial … In real world, if prosecution doesn't proceed with case, it gets dismissed. So on Monday, I will introduce measure to dismiss this bogus impeachment for lack of prosecution.”

The news website Axios has described Hawley as a 2024 presidential prospect.

Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550. Follow on Twitter @AndySher1.
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