On December 18th, 2019, the House of Representatives impeached only the third president in

U.S. history.

In the parlance of this show, Democrats have crossed the Rubicon, which means that for all the dramatic

and infuriating moments we've witnessed these past two months, the fight has only just begun.

The trial of President Trump won't begin until 2020, but between now and

then that fight won't stop. In fact, this may be the most important phase of it, because the nature of the trial the Senate

actually conducts will be determined in large part by what we, all of us, do now that the articles

of impeachment have passed.

The rules of the Senate require all members serving as jurors in an impeachment trial

to take an oath of affirmation to do, quote, impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws, so help me God.

Trump's loyalists have made no secret of the fact that they will ignore their oaths.

What's best for the country is to get this thing over with. I am clearly made up my mind.

I'm not an impartial juror. This is a political process. I would anticipate we will have a largely

partisan outcome. What did Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell mean when they

admitted they have no intention of being impartial? At bottom, they mean the

intent to acquit Trump no matter how strong the evidence of his high crimes and

misdemeanors is. But tactically, what they meant is they want to

rig the trial. Claim the evidence the House compiled isn't strong enough,

ignore that Trump summarily obstructed the inquiry, refuse to subpoena the testimony and documents that Trump This thing will come to the Senate and it will die quickly and I will do everything I can to make it die quickly.

They got a motion to dismiss before the Senate had even decided whether to depose a single witness.

That was Mitch McConnell again. decided whether to depose a single witness.

That was Mitch McConnell again.

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