Discussion: PA Gov Blasts 'Undemocratic' GOP Impeachment Bid Over Gerrymandering

The bigger question is what happens if the dog catches this particular bus and the five Democratic justices are removed from office. The governor, who happens to be a Democrat, fills vacancies in the state courts. But the governor’s nominees must be confirmed by a two-thirds vote in the state Senate. So Pennsylvania Republicans could be looking down the barrel of a stalemate or even a constitutional crisis that leaves the state’s highest court without a majority of its judges.

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Every day, my mind boggles a bit more by the depth and breadth of GOP chicanery…

I’m getting really, really tired of this shit…

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They did the same thing in Iowa after the IA Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality.

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Well, I’d say they get a C- for ingenuity.

And a Fuck You for this particular idea.

Are there any Republicans - anywhere - who are even interested in doing the job of governing? I know, I know.

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Unfortunately they are done with the new map and they know it. So this is retribution plain and simple.

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The simplest thing is to impeach all Republicans.

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I know the map is safe—we have to protect our judges now if we can.

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Pigs will be pigs. Fuck the GOP.

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It’s all a damn game. They don’t give a sweet sht about America, the Constitution or history. What a bunch of sad mofos.

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Yeah I’m really weary of this GOP that doesn’t respect the rule of law anymore at all. If the judge won’t rule the way they want, they get rid of the judge.

That’s just destroying what our entire governmental structure, our society and the country to its bones is built on.

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I’m getting weary of it myself, tell you the truth. They’re just entirely corrupt now. That’s a rare thing but not impossible.

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Yes, and dangerous.

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"Kill him, Kill the umpire shouted someone in the stands, and its likely they’d have killed him had not Casey raised his hand;

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey’s visage shone; He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;"

34 of the 50 PA state senators are Republicans and it takes 2/3rds of the entire senate, or every Republican senator, to impeach PA state Supreme Court Justices. Hence to impeach the Supreme Court justices requires every Republican state senator’s assent. However, what the article does not say is that it also takes 2/3rds of the PA house would also have to vote for impeachment or 136 representatives and the GOP only control 121 seats.

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Knowing little about PA politics, this does seem like a measure doomed to fail. Sure, in safe districts this will seem like the greatest idea. If you’re in a pink or purple district, and you saw how Lamb took out whatshisname I can’t imagine you’d see this as anything more than a fool’s errand. The new map would stand, the judges you ousted could very well be reelected, and you’d be giving Democrats one enormous gift of a local issue to run on. There’s literally no upside beyond the joy of throwing a temper tantrum.

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They did the same thing in 1986 in California, targeting 3 liberal justices of the Supreme Court (Rose Bird et al.). It was not impeachment per se but a campaign to get voters to say No to their retention, something that would rarely happen otherwise. The ostensible reason was that the court was soft on crime (struck down the death penalty in too many cases). The actual reason was a naked power grab, since there was a conservative Republican governor, and Republicans could be named to the court to replace those justices.

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I agree. But I’m still fed up with the GOP who want to try it.

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So they need two thirds to carry an impeachment vote. Let’s see 2/3 of 50 is 33, and the control 34, hmmm. And district wise 2/3 of 18 is 13, and they control 13, hmmm. But they get just 50% of the vote, hmmm again. Gerrymandering is based on math, no?

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Depends if they are ‘disqualified’. Impeachment and apparent removal from office would not alone disqualify them from running again. However, the originator of this fiasco, Dush, has thought this one through:
“Each is guilty of an impeachable offense warranting removal from office and disqualification to hold any office or trust or profit under this Commonwealth.”

Impeachment, majority vote thereof is mathematically possible, but not a lot of support (yet). Disqualification is a third variable.

As co-sponsor McGinnis said, “Reactions I received from the public split between those grateful for my action and those accusing me of being a fascist.” I think the majority of PA citizens think the latter.

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Me too, but I refuse to keep letting these fuckwads upset me with their fantasyland bullshit. They hate our country, our government, our laws, and, mostly, the American people. I’m not even angry anymore, I just want heads served up on platters.

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I had read in an article yesterday that the PA house vote to initiate impeachment proceedings would only require a simple majority. It is only the PA senate that would require 2/3 to impeach.

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