Chuck Schumer promises “consequences” for seditionists Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley

| 9:52 pm EST January 25, 2021
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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer appeared on the Rachel Maddow show tonight and took his fight directly to Mitch McConnell. It worked so well that before Schumer was even off the air, McConnell had dropped his filibuster demands and caved to the Senate rules that Schumer originally laid down for him. But Schumer also touched on something that could change the power dynamic even more.

Several Senate Democrats recently asked the Ethics Committee to investigate Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley for their roles in inciting the January 6th Capitol attack, with an eye on expelling them. Maddow asked Schumer tonight what he thought of the request.

Chuck Schumer stated that there must be “consequences” for Cruz and Hawley, and that he’ll address it once the impeachment trial ends. This means that something will happen to Cruz and Hawley. Schumer is in charge of the Senate, and he wouldn’t call for this if he wasn’t confident he can do something to them.

Keep in mind that expulsion is entirely in the hands of Senate Republicans, because it requires 67 votes out of 100. But there are other forms of punishment, such as being stripped of committee assignments. Schumer’s confidence that there will be “consequences” suggests that he already knows there are enough votes to carry out some form of punishment for Cruz and Hawley.