Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has told Republican senators to be ready for an impeachment trial of President Donald Trump as soon as Thanksgiving, the Washington Post reported Wednesday. His hope is to have it finished by Christmas.
There are two steps to the impeachment process. The House votes on whether to impeach the president -- indicting him. The Senate then holds a trial on those charges and chooses whether to convict or acquit him. A two-thirds vote in the Senate is required for a conviction.
The Post reports the x-factor in McConnell's desire for a speedy trial is Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who would preside and ultimately set the pace.
McConnell told reporters Wednesday that senators would meet six days a week during an impeachment trial. He also said senators would not be allowed to speak during the proceedings.
House Democrats continue their impeachment inquiry with a brisk pace of closed-door testimony from Trump administration and other government officials.
Gordon Sondland, U.S. ambassador to the European Union, is scheduled to appear Thursday. Trump blocked his appearance last week, but Democrats promptly subpoenaed Sondland.
Michael McKinley, a career service officer and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's de facto chief of staff, testified Wednesday that the Trump administration's politicization of foreign policy contributed to his resignation.
A Gallup poll released Wednesday shows 52% of voters support impeachment and removing him from office. That's up from 45% in June. That change reflects an increase in support of impeachment not only from Democrats (81% in June to 89% now) but from independents (46% to 55%), according to Gallup. Support among Republicans has gone down from 7% in June to 6% now.
Compare that to the last two presidents to face impeachment. Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998, but overall support for that never eclipsed 35% in the Gallup poll. Richard Nixon resigned in August 1974 before he could be impeached. That same month, support for impeachment reached its high-water mark of 58% in the Gallup poll.
