But they also see an opportunity in portraying Democrats as weak: McConnell criticized top Democrats who “rushed to downplay Soleimani’s evil while presenting our own president as the villain.
“Just looking at this impeachment circus, can you imagine getting consensus from 535 members of Congress in taking the necessary action to remove this general from the battlefield? That’s why the Constitution gives that authority to the president,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).
The situation on Capitol Hill is likely to evolve rapidly after Congress’ long holiday break. Pelosi is moving to hold a War Powers debate this week in the House, Senate Democrats will force the issue in the upper chamber as early as next week and administration briefings for lawmakers begin Wednesday.
Pelosi is also expected to send over the articles of impeachment in the coming days, bringing to a head the conflict between Schumer and McConnell on the trial rules. Several Republicans declined to discuss the contours of the trial until the speaker transmits the articles to the Senate.
That could happen any time after the House returns on Tuesday evening, opening up multiple constitutional battles between Democrats and the president.
“Both are very important and both are fundamental constitutional responsibilities that we have,” Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said. “To me, it’s pretty clear the president’s authority to use the military against Iran is very questionable. And I don’t see too many Republicans speaking out against it.”
Moreover, the duel fights put the handful of centrist Senate Republicans in the spotlight on every single vote. For Democrats to force the war debate or win votes during the impeachment trial, they will need four Republicans to break with GOP leaders who want to shelve both issues as quickly as they can.
Collins was noncommittal on the question of calling Bolton and whether to advance Kaine’s debate on Trump’s war-making authority. But to most in the GOP, the calculation is much easier.
“I don’t think we should be dealing with the impeachment issue at all,” Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) said. He also didn’t see any problem with Trump ordering the Soleimani killing under the 2002 resolution authorizing the U.S. military campaign in Iraq: Trump “has the authority to do what he’s done.”
Source: politico.com
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