Hawley proposes Senate rule change forcing House to deliver impeachment articles

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., speaks with reporters after a vote in Oct. 2019. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Missouri GOP Sen. Josh Hawley unveiled text of a resolution seeking to change the Senate rules to make it in order to dismiss articles of impeachment starting 25 calendar days after their adoption in the House, even if the House does not appoint managers and send over the paperwork.

“In the real world when a prosecutor brings a case but refuses to try it, the court has the ability and the defendant has the right, a constitutional right I might add, to have those articles, those indictments, those charges dismissed,” he said in a Monday Senate speech.

 

  A group of 10 Republican senators signed on as original co-sponsors of Hawley’s proposed rules change. Under the regular order, a two-thirds vote is required to break filibusters of proposals to change the Senate rules.