Senate Republicans said on Thursday they don’t want a former one President Trump
Donald Trump Pelosi urges Newsom to choose Schiff for next California AG: Palm Beach attorney reports Trump should be able to live on Mar-a-Lago Trump helipad in Mar-a-Lago to to be demolished MORE to testify as part of a second impeachment trial after House impeachment managers formally requested the former president to testify under oath next week.
The public backlash comes as his legal team appears to shoot down the House impeachment managers’ request, dismissing it as a ‘publicity stunt’.
GOP senators say there is no reason for Trump to testify after the House impeached him for a historic second time without calling witnesses, a move unlike the 2019 impeachment effort.
House Democrats argued that they could move faster this time because lawmakers had experienced the January 6 attack on the Capitol firsthand and witnessed Trump’s speech just before the riot, where he called on supporters to go to the Capitol to march.
Her. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamHouse Democrat Welcomes Gaetz’s Offer To Resign, Help Trump With Trial GOP Warns Biden Nominees On Hold Until After Schumer’s Impeachment, McConnell Reaches Agreement On Senate Hosting Resolution MORE (RS.C.), a close Trump ally who said he spoke to the former president “a few days ago”, dismissed the House impeachment managers’ request as a “political ploy.”
“I don’t think that would be in anyone’s interest,” he said of Trump testifying. “Just because it’s just a nightmare for the country to do this, it’s just a political showboat movement to do this and they didn’t call him in the House.”
Her. Ted Cruz
Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzHillicon Valley: Federal Cyber Agency Reassesses Role in Fighting Disinformation in Elections | Senate Panel Promotes Selection of Biden’s Commerce Secretary | House Armed Services Panel Targets New Cybersecurity Panel Senate Panel Promotes Election of Biden’s Commerce Secretary by 21-3 Votes The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented By Facebook – Democrats Map Path To Get Through Biden’s COVID-19 Contingency Plan MORE (R-Texas) reiterated that reporters say it would amount to “partisan theater.”
“I think that just goes to show that what they’re looking for is a show trial. It’s all about bias,” Cruz said. “To come up with a sentence, it’s time to move on.”
Her. Chuck Grassley
Chuck GrassleyGarland could be stuck in Senate DOJ limbo for several more weeks, FBI pressured by Senate judge for answers to Capitol Hill riot Senate confirms Biden’s DHS pick after GOP delay MORE (R-Iowa) wondered why the Senate would call witnesses when the House did not.
“They expect the Senate to do their job. And we, and I don’t know why we have to pick up the pieces for the inadequacy of the House of Representatives,” Grassley said.
The GOP pushback comes after Rep. Jamie Raskin
Jamin (Jamie) Ben Raskin Reliability Managers Say Trump Behavioral Conviction House Sends Formal Impeachment to Senate Putting Trump on Trial Over Capitol Riot Inauguration Parties Lose the Glitz and Glamor in 2021 (D-Md.), House Impeachment’s senior manager, sent a letter to Trump claiming that the former president’s defense, set out in legal instructions, denies irrefutable facts about Trump’s role in the deadly January 6 uprising. the Capitol.
“So you have tried to question critical facts, despite the clear and overwhelming evidence of your constitutional crime,” Raskin wrote to Trump. “In light of your challenge to these factual allegations, I am writing to you to testify under oath, either before or at the Senate impeachment trial, regarding your conduct on January 6, 2021.”
But Trump did not testify during the initial impeachment of the House or the subsequent Senate trial, when no additional witnesses were called.
While Republicans were outraged against the president after the Jan. 6 attack, Democrats are not expected to get the 67 votes needed to formally condemn Trump at the end of a trial.
Her. Rand Paul
Randal (Rand) Howard Paul The memo: It’s Trump vs. McConnell in the battle for the soul of GOP Our nation never quite agrees on much, but it hasn’t always tore itself apart Lindsey Graham comes to defend Liz Cheney MORE (R-Ky.), Asked about Trump who testified, calling the trial “illegal” and “unconstitutional”.
“They don’t have the votes to condemn, so this is just, I think it continues to embitter the public. It divides and it doesn’t promote unity. I think it’s a big mistake on the part of the Democrats,” said Paul. .
Her. Thom Tillis
Thomas (Thom) Roland Tillis EPA nominee Regan pledges ‘urgency’ on climate change in confirmation of GOP courts hearing Biden, indicating he may be moving without them The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Biden tests GOP negotiating skills in Today’s COVID Help Meeting MORE (RN.C.) added that the House is “doing things they should have done when they had it in the House before drafting the article.”
Republicans weren’t the only ones wary of Trump testifying.
Her. Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) Manchin ENERGY OVERNIGHT: Senate Committee Advances Granholm’s Appointment to Energy | To Lead EPA Nominee Regan Promises Climate Change ‘Urgency’ In Confirmation Hearing Omar Calls on Biden to Block Pipeline Construction in Minnesota Senate Passes Organizing Resolution Following Schumer-McConnell Poll Deal: 64 Percent Support Federal Minimum Wage Increase to 2025 MORE (DW.Va.) said he would leave the decision to house managers, but “boy, that would be a dog and pony show.”
Her. Chris Coons
Chris Andrew Coons ‘New’ US Trade Policy Must Not Misunderstand the Role of Copyrights Coronavirus Aid Poses Early Test of Democratic Unity Biden Calls on Democrats, Calls for Major COVID-19 Aid Bill MORE (D-Del.) Added that it would be a “terrible idea.”
“Have you met President Trump?” he asked.