This is one time when Donald Trump should be really, really careful about what he’s asking. Axios is reporting that Trump intends to send a letter to Nancy Pelosi, as early as Friday, daring her to have a vote on the impeachment inquiry. Pelosi doesn’t have to do anything that Trump requests, and has demonstrated admirable that she’s not about to be bullied around by this White House, but she may give Trump what he asks for — to his regret. Trump is expected to use the letter to argue that unless Pelosi holds a vote of the full House, the White House can ignore subpoenas.
The scheme to force a vote appeals to Trump because he appears to still be under the delusion that his call to Ukraine was “perfect,” that the hearing with part-time Ambassador full-time lobbyist Kurt Volker was somehow helpful to his case, and that voting for the inquiry will be hard on Democrats in swing districts. Republicans also appear to believe that having a formal vote on an inquiry will give them a terrific opportunity for grandstanding and allow them to introduce rules that will throw sand in the gears of the so-far fast running process.
Pelosi has made it clear that there is “no requirement under the Constitution, under House Rules, or House precedent” that would force her to take the kind of vote that the letter being drafted by the White House insists she make. There’s also no requirement that says she has to operate under the rules that Republicans want for maximum foot-dragging. And absolutely nothing in the rules that says House subpoenas have less force without a show-vote.
So even if the White House decides to send the stunt letter drafted on Thursday evening, and Trump goes on television to scuff a line in the South Lawn grass and say “coward” a dozen times, there’s absolutely no reason Pelosi should go along with the gag.
But she might. Because even though media keeps running stories about the “potential political cost to Democrats” of impeaching Trump, no one seems to have done the math on what it costs Republicans to keep Trump. Republicans shouldn’t be drooling over this letter. They should be thinking about what it means for Republican representatives and senators in anything but the bloodiest of blood red districts to be seen beating their chests in defense of the guy who just invited China to join all the others he’s asked to interfere in American elections.
Volker’s testimony was not good for Trump. The texts released on Thursday evening were even worse. And right now if Donald Trump was to get the vote he wants … he might be very surprised by some of those giving a hearty approval to his impeachment.