When House Democrats impeached former President Donald Trump for the second time, they argued that doing so quickly was of the utmost importance. Why, then, has it taken Democrats more than a week to send their impeachment article to the Senate?

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on Friday that the Senate will begin Trump’s impeachment trial on Monday, which is when the House plans to send its article of impeachment to the upper chamber. But not one Democrat has explained why House Speaker Nancy Pelosi delayed as long as she has. She wanted to make sure President Biden’s first few days in office weren’t bogged down by a trial. And she wanted to make sure the Senate’s impeachment vote hurts the Republican Party as much as it hurts Trump.