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Hamlette

(15,412 posts)
Sat Oct 19, 2019, 03:19 PM Oct 2019

secret vote for conviction in impeachment in the Senate?

On AM Joy today Frum was talking about only needing 5 republican votes for a "secret ballot" in the impeachment trial,

Never heard of such a thing. What is he talking about?

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secret vote for conviction in impeachment in the Senate? (Original Post) Hamlette Oct 2019 OP
Apparently, the Senate can use a secret ballot to vote for removal Chichiri Oct 2019 #1
I'm not betting on it. TomSlick Oct 2019 #2
Article 1, Sec. 5: lastlib Oct 2019 #3
Someone said they could ban him (or any of them) from running again with just 4 GOP senators. NCLefty Oct 2019 #4

Chichiri

(4,667 posts)
1. Apparently, the Senate can use a secret ballot to vote for removal
Sat Oct 19, 2019, 03:41 PM
Oct 2019

Enacting this rule only requires a simple majority, not a two-thirds. You'd still need two-thirds to remove, but the Treason Partiers have an "out" if the ballot is secret. Probably Moscow Mitch would have to introduce the rule change for it to be voted on, however, so short of a true revolt in the Treason Party, don't count on it happening.

TomSlick

(11,098 posts)
2. I'm not betting on it.
Sat Oct 19, 2019, 10:31 PM
Oct 2019

A vote for a secret ballot rule would be vote to remove Trump. The vote on the rule would not be secret. It therefore seems unlikely.

It would be great but it seems unlikely.

lastlib

(23,244 posts)
3. Article 1, Sec. 5:
Sun Oct 20, 2019, 12:43 AM
Oct 2019
"...Each House shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House on any question shall, at the desire of one fifth of those present, be entered on the journal.


Sounds to me as though if 20 senators want a recorded vote, it'll be recorded. Whoever loses is quite possibly going to want it recorded.
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