GOP Senator Josh Hawley To Introduce Measure To Dismiss Impeachment Case

Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo) is seeking to roll back the impeachment of President Donald Trump. The constitutional lawyer said he will introduce a measure in the Senate on Monday to dismiss the impeachment charges against Trump because of the lack of prosecution.

The House of Representatives passed the two articles of impeachment in December but Speaker Nancy Pelosi has held back from tranmitting those to the Senate, citing her concerns of a fair trial. Hawley's argument is that the Senate has sole power to try impeachment cases and the chamber "should update its rules to dismiss the articles of impeachment," which he terms bogus, if House Dems refuse to try their case.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer (NY) have failed to discuss the next steps and frame the rules for a Senate trial. On Friday, McConnell rejected any idea that House Democrats will be able to dictate how an impeachment trial will unfold in the Senate.

Hawley tweeted, "“Dems said impeachment was urgent. Now they don’t want to have a trail, because they have no evidence. 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.”

Hawley is drawing on the principle in civil law where a case case gets dismissed when the plaintiff fails to move forward with the case or causes unreasonable delay in proceeding.

Terming the Speaker's failure to transmit the articles of impeachment as "an unreasonable attempt to obstruct Senate trial," the senator said his proposal will take the form of a motion to update the Senate impeachment rules.

“This will expose Dems’ circus for what it is: a fake impeachment, abuse of the Constitution, based on no evidence. If Dems won’t proceed with trial, bogus articles should be dismissed and Donald Trump fully cleared,” Hawley tweeted.