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| McConnell Refuses to Negotiate With Pelosi on Impeachment Trial Terms | |
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| WASHINGTON — Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, flatly refused on Wednesday to negotiate with Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the terms of the Senate’s impeachment trial of President Trump, and accused the speaker of playing politics with a solemn process at a time of possible war. | WASHINGTON — Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader, flatly refused on Wednesday to negotiate with Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the terms of the Senate’s impeachment trial of President Trump, and accused the speaker of playing politics with a solemn process at a time of possible war. |
| A day after he announced that he had the votes to conduct a trial without agreeing to Democrats’ demands for witnesses, Mr. McConnell said that the House had no choice now but to end “shameless game-playing” and transmit the two articles of impeachment against Mr. Trump that it approved last month. | A day after he announced that he had the votes to conduct a trial without agreeing to Democrats’ demands for witnesses, Mr. McConnell said that the House had no choice now but to end “shameless game-playing” and transmit the two articles of impeachment against Mr. Trump that it approved last month. |
| “There will be no haggling with the House over Senate procedure,” Mr. McConnell, the Kentucky Republican, said on the Senate floor. “We will not cede our authority to try this impeachment. The House’s turn is over. The Senate has made its decision.” | “There will be no haggling with the House over Senate procedure,” Mr. McConnell, the Kentucky Republican, said on the Senate floor. “We will not cede our authority to try this impeachment. The House’s turn is over. The Senate has made its decision.” |
| Ms. Pelosi has been withholding the charges in a bid to help Democrats press their case that any fair trial must include the guarantee of new witnesses and documents. On Tuesday evening, she demanded that Mr. McConnell make public his proposed rules for the proceeding before she delivered the articles so that Democrats could “see the arena in which we will be participating.” | Ms. Pelosi has been withholding the charges in a bid to help Democrats press their case that any fair trial must include the guarantee of new witnesses and documents. On Tuesday evening, she demanded that Mr. McConnell make public his proposed rules for the proceeding before she delivered the articles so that Democrats could “see the arena in which we will be participating.” |
| But Mr. McConnell appeared in no rush to do so. Citing the heightened tensions in the Middle East — where Iran fired missiles at United States forces in Iraq early Wednesday — the Senate leader charged that the speaker was playing a dangerous game on impeachment at the worst possible time. | But Mr. McConnell appeared in no rush to do so. Citing the heightened tensions in the Middle East — where Iran fired missiles at United States forces in Iraq early Wednesday — the Senate leader charged that the speaker was playing a dangerous game on impeachment at the worst possible time. |
| “At the very same time a global crisis was unfolding in real time, she published another ‘dear colleague’ letter saying she intends to keep our commander in chief in this limbo indefinitely,” Mr. McConnell said. | “At the very same time a global crisis was unfolding in real time, she published another ‘dear colleague’ letter saying she intends to keep our commander in chief in this limbo indefinitely,” Mr. McConnell said. |
| The pointed remarks were the latest in an escalating confrontation between two of the most powerful leaders Congress has seen in a generation. | The pointed remarks were the latest in an escalating confrontation between two of the most powerful leaders Congress has seen in a generation. |
| Mr. McConnell, 78, and Ms. Pelosi, 79, each of whom has served for more than three decades, are considered master tacticians in their respective parties, and neither is known for backing down from a contentious fight. Both have a keen understanding of the political dynamics within their rank and file, and excel at consolidating their colleagues around a single position and refusing to budge. | Mr. McConnell, 78, and Ms. Pelosi, 79, each of whom has served for more than three decades, are considered master tacticians in their respective parties, and neither is known for backing down from a contentious fight. Both have a keen understanding of the political dynamics within their rank and file, and excel at consolidating their colleagues around a single position and refusing to budge. |
| Mr. McConnell’s objective in the current battle is to bring about a speedy acquittal of the president, belittling the House’s case in the process. Ms. Pelosi, having carefully orchestrated the impeachment vote in the House, does not want to allow the Senate to quickly bury the matter without delving into additional witness accounts or documents. And if she cannot force Mr. McConnell to agree to those terms, she is determined at least to convince the public that the Senate trial is illegitimate — and, by extension, that Mr. Trump’s acquittal was rigged from the start. | Mr. McConnell’s objective in the current battle is to bring about a speedy acquittal of the president, belittling the House’s case in the process. Ms. Pelosi, having carefully orchestrated the impeachment vote in the House, does not want to allow the Senate to quickly bury the matter without delving into additional witness accounts or documents. And if she cannot force Mr. McConnell to agree to those terms, she is determined at least to convince the public that the Senate trial is illegitimate — and, by extension, that Mr. Trump’s acquittal was rigged from the start. |
| The latest comments from Mr. McConnell came in response to a letter from Ms. Pelosi to House colleagues late Tuesday in which she accused the Senate leader of putting his loyalty to the president above the Constitution. In recent weeks, she has also referred to Mr. McConnell as “rogue” and complicit in a cover-up of the president’s misbehavior. | The latest comments from Mr. McConnell came in response to a letter from Ms. Pelosi to House colleagues late Tuesday in which she accused the Senate leader of putting his loyalty to the president above the Constitution. In recent weeks, she has also referred to Mr. McConnell as “rogue” and complicit in a cover-up of the president’s misbehavior. |
| “This process is not only unfair but designed to deprive senators and the American people of crucial documents and testimony,” she wrote. | “This process is not only unfair but designed to deprive senators and the American people of crucial documents and testimony,” she wrote. |
| She said she needed details about what a trial would look like so she could choose the team that will prosecute the House’s case that Mr. Trump abused his power and then obstructed Congress. The charges stem from a House inquiry that concluded Mr. Trump pressured Ukraine to investigating his political rivals in a bid to boost his re-election campaign, and then sought to conceal his actions from legislative oversight. | She said she needed details about what a trial would look like so she could choose the team that will prosecute the House’s case that Mr. Trump abused his power and then obstructed Congress. The charges stem from a House inquiry that concluded Mr. Trump pressured Ukraine to investigating his political rivals in a bid to boost his re-election campaign, and then sought to conceal his actions from legislative oversight. |
| On Wednesday, Mr. McConnell reiterated that he intends to follow the model of President Bill Clinton’s 1999 impeachment trial, delaying any consideration of additional witnesses or evidence not included in the House inquiry until opening arguments are complete and senators have a chance to question the prosecution and defense. | On Wednesday, Mr. McConnell reiterated that he intends to follow the model of President Bill Clinton’s 1999 impeachment trial, delaying any consideration of additional witnesses or evidence not included in the House inquiry until opening arguments are complete and senators have a chance to question the prosecution and defense. |
| Though at least three Senate Republicans have indicated they are open to potentially calling witnesses like John R. Bolton, the former national security adviser who said this week he would be willing to testify, Democrats would have to find a fourth Republican willing to join with them to muster the majority needed to do so. | Though at least three Senate Republicans have indicated they are open to potentially calling witnesses like John R. Bolton, the former national security adviser who said this week he would be willing to testify, Democrats would have to find a fourth Republican willing to join with them to muster the majority needed to do so. |
| With Ms. Pelosi firmly backed by her own caucus, Mr. McConnell tried on Wednesday to drive a wedge between Democrats in the House and the Senate to increase pressure on the speaker. | With Ms. Pelosi firmly backed by her own caucus, Mr. McConnell tried on Wednesday to drive a wedge between Democrats in the House and the Senate to increase pressure on the speaker. |
| He urged Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, to listen to his own members who have begun to voice impatience to start the trial. | He urged Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, to listen to his own members who have begun to voice impatience to start the trial. |
| Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, added her name to that list on Wednesday, telling reporters: “I don’t see what good delay does.” | Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, added her name to that list on Wednesday, telling reporters: “I don’t see what good delay does.” |
| “He is a senior member of an independent branch of our bicameral legislature,” Mr. McConnell said of Mr. Schumer. “The Democratic leader does not need to continue to be in thrall to the speaker. He does not need to keep colluding with outside efforts to supplant the judgment of his own colleagues.” | “He is a senior member of an independent branch of our bicameral legislature,” Mr. McConnell said of Mr. Schumer. “The Democratic leader does not need to continue to be in thrall to the speaker. He does not need to keep colluding with outside efforts to supplant the judgment of his own colleagues.” |
| Mr. Schumer, increasingly resigned to Mr. McConnell’s decision to blow past Democrats’ demands, offered the majority leader and Republican senators a warning in his own speech on the Senate floor. Mr. Schumer said he would force votes on calling witnesses and documents during the trial and the nation could judge at the ballot box the actions of each lawmaker. | Mr. Schumer, increasingly resigned to Mr. McConnell’s decision to blow past Democrats’ demands, offered the majority leader and Republican senators a warning in his own speech on the Senate floor. Mr. Schumer said he would force votes on calling witnesses and documents during the trial and the nation could judge at the ballot box the actions of each lawmaker. |
| “If the Senate rushes through the president’s impeachment, if we actually fail to try the case, as the Constitution demands, then the true acquittal the president craves will be unobtainable,” he said. “The American people will see right through a partisan trial and understand that a rush to judgment rendered that moot.” | “If the Senate rushes through the president’s impeachment, if we actually fail to try the case, as the Constitution demands, then the true acquittal the president craves will be unobtainable,” he said. “The American people will see right through a partisan trial and understand that a rush to judgment rendered that moot.” |