On CNN Saturday, former federal prosecutor Elie Honig tore into the GOP's argument that if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) withholds the articles of impeachment to exact demands from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), then President Donald Trump hasn't "really" been impeached yet.
"Let's start with the basics," said anchor Amara Walker. "Apparently there are questions over whether Trump has really been impeached over a technicality. We spoke with Jenna Ellis, who is the senior legal adviser to the 2020 Trump campaign, and to the president a few hours ago, and she said technically that President Trump has not yet been impeached because the Senate does not yet have the articles of impeachment ... do you agree?"
"That's a ridiculous argument on a couple levels," said Honig. "First of all, it's only a matter of time before the House does formally deliver the articles over to the Senate, so if it gives the Republicans a talking point for a couple of weeks, it's not going to last. Second of all, this whole idea comes from an article by law professor Noah Feldman. This is what happens when law professors get a little too clever."
"The Constitution is clear here," continued Honig. "The Constitution gives the House the sole power to impeach and the Senate to try impeachments. There's nothing about a formal transmission. This is something that is made up. We all saw the House of Representatives. They voted, it was a majority, it was on TV. He is impeached. Now it's up to the Senate to go ahead and try the case."
Watch below:
