FAIRMONT, W.Va. — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has yet to commit to when she will forward the two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the U.S. Senate for a trial.
The House voted along party lines Wednesday night to impeach Trump. All three House members from West Virginia voted against both measures.
Fairmont State University Assistant Professor for Political Science Greg Noone said Thursday Pelosi may be holding out to see if the leadership of the Senate will concede on a few issues.
“There was a poll that 71 percent of Americans want to see a trial with witnesses and I think that’s what they’re hanging their hat on,” Noone said during a Thursday appearance on MetroNews “Talkline.” “That they can get those couple of Republican senators to side with Democrats for a trial with witnesses. Otherwise, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already signaled that he will not be impartial.”
Noone said Republican Senators Cory Gardener from Colorado, Linda Collins from Maine, Martha McSally from Arizona and Lisa Murkowski from Alaska are potential targets for the Democrats.
Noone said it takes just 51 votes to establish rules for the trial, while 67 votes are needed for a conviction.
Greg Noone, @FairmontState Professor Political Science, talks with @DaveWilsonMN about impeachment and how the view of its usage has changed in America. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIAoe1 pic.twitter.com/RF5kXhXk5j
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) December 19, 2019
Noone said the impeachment process has once again shown the polarized environment of today. He said his students want facts and most of their parents get news from sites that confirm their beliefs. He said the result is students are left searching for facts from the internet and alternative media outlets.
Noone said past political practices have resulted in an environment of tribalism.
“The system at-large is broken and it’s broken because of gerrymandering, it’s broken because of unlimited money,” Noone said. “That’s what’s creating this hyper-partisanship.”
Noone said in 1994 when the Republicans won the U.S. house then speaker Newt Gingrich ended the practice of families relocating to Washington D.C. with elected leaders. He said those family relationships, outside the halls of Congress, helped keep debate civil. Shortly after, he says the Clinton impeachment drove another wedge between the two parties.
Noone also said the internet has played a major role in pitting one side against the other.
“The confluence of these events has led to it,” Noone said. “Between Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich and the internet it’s really the beginning of all this.”
He said most people aren’t willing to listen to the opposing view in many cases.
“So, it’s an echo chamber of validation that goes on and it entrenches people more into their positions. Unfortunately, a lot of these positions are not based on fact, they’re based on their gut, how they feel,” he said.