MSNBC: The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell

House votes to impeach President Trump
MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell. Segment guests included former Reps. Tom Coleman (MO) and David Jolly (FL) along with journalist Jonathan Alter who discussed the implications for the Republican Party going forward in the wake of Donald Trump’s impeachment. (12/18/19)

Source: MSNBC: The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell

The Last Word Transcripts
12/18/19 10:00 PM

(VIDEO CLIP)

REP. STENY HOYER (D-MD): With our votes today we convey true faith and allegiance to the vision of our founders and we can show future generation what it truly means to be Americans first. Vote yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Gentleman yields back. Gentleman from Georgia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O’DONNELL: And joining our discussion that we have Tom Coleman, a former Republican Congressman from Missouri. Also with us, former Republican congressman David Jolly from Florida and Jonathan Alter, columnist for the Daily Beast. They are both MSNBC analysts.

And Congressman Coleman, I want to go to you. Donald Trump said at his rally tonight after he got impeached that he’s the first President to be impeached who has not committed a crime, not charged with a crime. What is your reaction to that?

FMR. REP. TOM COLEMAN (R-MO): Well, first of all thank you for having me on the show and I’ve looked at the Declaration of Independence and actually the precursor to our Constitution, the Constitution says nothing about having to have a crime to be impeached.

It’s very clear. The President doesn’t understand the constitution. I doubt if he’s ever looked at the constitution so when he says these things some people will be believing but there’s no basis to it. You can be impeached for what he was impeached for tonight.

You can be removed from office and the Senate for abuse of power and obstruction of justice or obstructing Congress.

O’DONNELL: Well, what was your feeling tonight watching the Republicans on the House floor, some of whom were there when you served. Can you explain what has come over the Republicans in the House of Representatives?

COLEMAN: Lawrence, I do not know. It is sad. I know a lot of them, I know some of the leadership. It’s beyond me to explain. I think it has something to do with the psychological feeling of a cult. I mean that’s about the only thing I can think the Republican Party has become and that is the Trump cult.

It’s the Trump party, it’s not the Republican Party, the day when I served in. It’s different and we’ve got to recognize that and the people who identify themselves who are not office holders as Republicans, they’re thinking that this is the old Republican Party.

It’s not, it’s the Trump party and you can leave it. I have left it, David has left it and you know, it’s OK because just because you were at one time a Republican, doesn’t mean that this is a party for you today.

…

(START 6:52)

O’DONNELL: Tom Coleman, how do you see the politics of this for Republicans especially some of those vulnerable Senate Republicans?

COLEMAN: Well, first of all I think that it somebody cited the polls that showed two-thirds of the Republicans believe there should be witnesses and a regular trial. This is an issue of fairness and I think if the Democrats can sell this as an issue of fairness, everybody thinks we ought to have a fair trial and so that’s – that’s my recommendation tonight.

We have in the Senate probably four, maybe five vulnerable Republican senators. They are going to be very closely watching this. They cannot go back to their states and say I want an unfair trial. What have you done to make this a fair trial? What have you talked to the Majority Leader about this?

People are going to be asking these questions. They know they’re going to be asked the questions and that’s why I think this thing is going to open up and we’re going to have witnesses. There’s probably some stuff out here right now that we don’t even know is going to be introduced into evidence and so that’s why I said, a month or two ago that we’re going to have impeachment which I was the first Republican former or current to call for the impeachment back in May if you recall.

And then also, by the time that this gets to the Senate and into a vote for the Senate, there will be overwhelming support for removal of Donald Trump.

Source: TRANSCRIPT: 12/18/19, The Last Word w/ Lawrence O’Donnell