Even some Democrats are disappointed in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D) new ploy. In her weekend interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, she seemed to welcome his idea that the Democrats could impeach President Trump if he proceeds with his Supreme Court nomination. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died on Friday, leaving a key vacancy just two months out from the general election.
"Some have mentioned the possibility if they try to push through a nominee in a lame-duck session, that you and the House can move to impeach President Trump or Attorney General Barr as a way of stalling and preventing the Senate from acting on this nomination," George Stephanopoulos offered.
"We have our options," Pelosi responded. "We have arrows and our quiver, that I'm not about to discuss right now."
“We have our options. We have arrows in our quiver that I’m not about to discuss right now,” Pelosi tells @GStephanopoulos when pressed on what Democrats would do if Republicans move to confirm a Trump SCOTUS pick in a lame duck session if Biden wins. https://t.co/Xgu46wHrLV pic.twitter.com/YcxJup6ZML
— ABC News (@ABC) September 20, 2020
Democratic Senate leaders appear to be on the same track. Watch as Chuck Schumer nods along while Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) agrees that impeachment is "on the table."
Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer nods along as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says impeachment is “on the table” to prevent the filling of the Supreme Court vacancy
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) September 21, 2020
pic.twitter.com/ap1OkH4iaC
Rahm Emanuel, President Obama's former chief of staff, is among the Democrats who regret this line of thinking.
"The idea of talking about impeachment as somehow retribution, that is what is corrosive to our political system," Emanuel said on ABC's "This Week." "That somehow we have to one-up them."
Rahm Emanuel on Nancy Pelosi's threat of impeachment to stall the Senate and keep President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee from receiving a vote.
— Francis Brennan (@FrancisBrennan) September 20, 2020
"I reject that politics... that is what is corrosive to our political system." pic.twitter.com/AcS57TSVrd
One of the qualities Emanuel said he admired about Ginsburg was that even though she disagreed with fellow Justice Antonin Scalia, the two shared a friendship for the ages.
Here's what President Trump had to say about Pelosi's threat.
@SenateGOP Crazy Nancy Pelosi wants to Impeach me if I fulfill my Constitutional Obligation to put forth a Nominee for the vacated seat on the United States Supreme Court. This would be a FIRST, even crazier than being Impeached for making a PERFECT phone call to Ukrainian Pres.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2020
In an interview with Fox & Friends on Monday morning, the president predicted that Pelosi's stunt will only help him Republicans win their elections in November.