JONAH GOLDBERG: Good reasons, bad politics of a third Trump impeachment

A coalition of right-wing organizations is lobbying the White House to grant mass pardons to junior administration staffers, though sources say a blanket pardon for all personnel is viewed as unlikely. The president could instead issue pardons for employees involved in specific policy areas such as deportations, war, or trade, according to a source speaking to the Washington Sun.

Meanwhile, a largely private debate is underway within the Democratic Party over whether to pursue a third impeachment of President Donald Trump. With Democrats favored to retake the House, the discussion centers not on whether Trump has committed impeachable offenses — columnist Jonah Goldberg writes that question is settled — but on the political wisdom of proceeding.

Goldberg argues that hyperpartisanship has effectively nullified the impeachment power, noting the Senate previously refused to convict Trump for his role in the January 6 Capitol attack. He questions whether any evidence would compel enough Republican senators to vote for conviction, assuming Democrats also win the Senate majority required to hold a trial.

While some suggest impeachment without conviction serves as a form of censure, Goldberg says it is unclear if a failed effort would benefit Democrats politically. He proposes an alternative: serious hearings on legislative measures and constitutional amendments to restrict future presidents from exploiting the pardon power.

Goldberg contends that as long as impeachment remains non-viable, the pardon power is too distorting to the constitutional order to be wielded unilaterally. He has previously argued for a Senate veto of all pre-emptive pardons as a starting point for reform.

Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal