January 23, 2020

Oh, the ordeal of being a Senator coerced to sit silent all day without coffee, without iPads!

I'm reading "Senators are out and about rather than in their seats" in WaPo's "What happened in Wednesday’s Senate trial, in 5 minutes."

I'm beyond bored by the trial, but this is what interests me, because I would go mad stuck in the position the Senators have gotten themselves into. Their theater, their rules:
Senators are supposed to sit down and stay in their seats for the entire trial, except when they all agree to take breaks. And yet at one point, our congressional colleagues watching the hearing from above the Senate chamber counted about 20 Republican senators not in their seats, walking outside the Senate floor or hanging out in private rooms just off it....

Why that matters: It’s another reminder there are no repercussions for not following the rules — which technically warn everyone to be silent “upon pain of imprisonment.”
When are these characters going to start throwing themselves in prison? Rules are rules! Well, once the ironclad rule-following breaks down — and it looks as though it already has — what's to stop them from openly sipping coffee and scrolling on iPads? What's to stop them from milling around right there in the chamber? What's to stop them from laughing out loud? From heckling?

26 comments:

Sammy Finkelman said...

The rule about no laptops and no cell phones is probably being enforced. They can take notes on paper. There may not be a strict rule against standing up or going out - otherwise they could not take bathroom breaks and they probably wouldn't forbid that.

Some went in with an Apple iWatch, which might be against the rules.

tds said...

It's a presenter's job to keep butts in the seats. If you can't be entertaining, or dangerous, at least show respect for other people's time, bottom-line-up-front or go home

rehajm said...

I gotta pee...

tommyesq said...

Its the Post, so of course it is only Republican senators who misbehave. Also points out that there are no repercussions should Republican senators or Trump's lawyers misrepresent evidence or outright lie, with nary a hint that any Democrat might do so (or might already have done so, ahem, Schiff.. ). Finally, after summarizing that Schiff set forth an argument that Trump unlawfully withheld a meeting with Zelensky, the article helpfully inserts a fact check that "yes, he is guilty." Sounds like the Post is open and unbiased to consideration of Trump's as-yet unpresented defense...

rehajm said...

It was reported they were writing cur cards to each other. Now they’re whispering. It’s like if nobody enforces the rules they become more and more emboldened to break them or something.

Amadeus 48 said...

Thanks, Althouse. I have always thought those sheep had a point of view. Now I know what it is about.

Bob Boyd said...

Now Howard the duck and Mr Stress both stayed
"Trapped in a world that they never made"
But not me baby I'm too precious
Fuck off

Amadeus 48 said...

What the Post left out was that there were no Democratic senators at all, I suppose.

I know I'm absent. I am boycotting this whole farce. I am spending the time figuring which Republicans I am going to give money to in 2020. I have already done my small bit for Elise Stefaniak and for Susan Collins (because of her sterling performance on Kavanaugh).

Left Bank of the Charles said...

The 20 Republican Senators wandering the halls and hanging out in private rooms could be plotting the coup.

AllenS said...

Do not think for one minute that only Republicans got up and left the room.

Bruce Hayden said...

“ Its the Post, so of course it is only Republican senators who misbehave”

Of course, it was prominent Dem Senator Diane Feinstein who was caught leaving and going home early yesterday, while the hearing was still in session, hearing her side’s story.

Temujin said...

Rachel Maddow is pretty miffed at Dem Senators for not paying attention. It is their duty!!

I was at some friends house last night. Very, very liberal people. How do I know? They get their worldly information from CNN. (I mean...who does that?). They had zero interest in this thing. And if they have zero interest in this thing...who does? I mean beside Adam Schiff? This really does seem like a one-man lifelong quest to remove Trump from office. One can only imagine what comes after impeachment.

Browndog said...

Absent from the room for more than 30 minutes, Sanders and Senator Amy Klobuchar — both pulled from the 2020 campaign trail to judge the impeachment case — cruised back in together to take their seats as Schiff concluded by urging senators to preserve the republic with a fair trial.

=Court House News

Waiting for the first Senator to utter "After listening to all the testimony.."

Darrell said...

I'm just digging, trying to find if there is any legal way this could end with Adam Schiff being hanged by the neck until dead. May God have Mercy on his Soul.

3MartiniLunch said...

Darrell said...
I'm just digging, trying to find if there is any legal way this could end with Adam Schiff being hanged by the neck until dead. May God have Mercy on his Soul.

1/23/20, 8:00 AM

Is there a noose small enough for o'l Pencil neck?

AllenS said...

You cannot hang a pencil, you can only break one in half.

Amadeus 48 said...

You know, if we get this right, perhaps Schiff could be fastened to a hurdle and drawn by horse to the place of execution, where he would be then hanged (almost to the point of death), emasculated, disembowelled, beheaded, and quartered (chopped into four pieces).

Amadeus 48 said...

Treason! Treason! Á la lanterne!

Here's a little Edith Piaf to set the mood:

http://edith-piaf.narod.ru/3/Le_Ca_ira.mp3

Birkel said...

Dianne Feinstein left 45 early.

Dude1394 said...

A farce is a farce. And no amount of "rule-making" will change that.

Marc in Eugene said...

I saw on Twitter that Senator Sasse was asked to put his chewing tobacco away, and asked the... am not sure who, but he asked if the antique spitoons in the Chamber are not for use. And there is an amusing passage in Dickens somewhere, describing the fantastic patterns on the carpets (due to spit tobacco juice). Well, here you go; about Senator Sasse yesterday afternoon, and the Dickens passage.

Linc said...

I can see a good reason that the Supreme Court bans cameras, unlike the Senate in its current impeachment trial. An attorney taking the first portion of his or her time to address the camera and the nation instead of the jurists would be exercising extreme disrespect.

The House managers in the first arguments has gone over the heads of the deliberative body and insulted the Senators' who are there supposedly as solemn decision makers.

Linc Wolverton

narayanan said...

Blogger Birkel said...

Dianne Feinstein left 45 early.
_________++++++++++++++
If she had also handed in her vote to acquit and said goodbye for 3 or 4 weeks would have been awesome.

there is still time to do it.

narayanan said...

Blogger Linc said...

I can see a good reason that the Supreme Court bans cameras,
____________++++++++++++++
that is mostly to let RBG sleep without any uproar

Charlie Currie said...

One would think with all the money in Ukraine at their disposal, they could rig up closed circuit tv in the off chamber rooms, so they could have a cup of and a donut and yell at the tv.

Charlie Currie said...

Sitting in your seat and paying attention is what is not being taught in school these days.