Impeachment trial: Republicans decry lack of latest proof whereas blocking it

As Democratic impeachment managers made the case in opposition to President Donald Trump on Wednesday and Thursday, Republican senators rolled out a rationale for his or her future vote to acquit: that the trial is a waste of time as a result of Democrats aren’t presenting new proof.

“To date what [head impeachment manager Adam Schiff] has mentioned we’ve heard earlier than,” said Mike Braun (IN) on Wednesday. “I didn’t hear something new immediately. We’ll see,” added Pat Toomey (PA). Rick Scott (FL), alluding to the shortage of latest proof, repeatedly characterised the trial as “boring” throughout TV interviews.

However on Tuesday evening, each Republican senator took vote after vote to dam impeachment managers from gathering new paperwork and compelling witness testimony. So Republicans are complaining about Democrats not doing one thing they’re stopping them from doing.

This level was made succinctly by Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer (NY) throughout a information convention held simply earlier than Wednesday’s listening to.

“What are the Republicans saying? Nicely, they’re saying they heard nothing new. However these Republicans voted 9 instances on Tuesday in opposition to amendments to make sure new witnesses and new paperwork,” he mentioned. “The identical Republicans saying they heard nothing new simply voted 9 instances to listen to nothing new.”

Kamala Harris (CA) made the purpose as effectively.

That is obvious to anybody who has been following the trial. However the truth that Republicans are pushing the “no new proof” speaking level illustrates the extent to which their technique to defend Trump rests on deflection and dodges as an alternative of an precise case.

Senators took an oath to be neutral jurors, however they wish to acquit and not using a full accounting of the proof

Greater than a half dozen Senate Republicans have used the “nothing new” speaking level to dismiss the impeachment trial this week.

“Six hours of testimony up to now immediately since I didn’t hear something new, in any respect,” mentioned John Barrasso (WY) on Wednesday. “So this overwhelming proof that’s going to be offered to the Senate, I assume they did it yesterday as a result of I’ve seen, heard nothing new in anyway,” added Tim Scott (SC).

It has additionally gotten lots of play on Fox Information, which Schumer described throughout his information convention as an outlet the place “at greatest issues are neglected, and at worst terribly distorted.” Josh Hawley (MO) joined Tucker Carlson’s present on Wednesday night and lamented that Democrats are “not even attempting to placed on proof. They don’t even have any proof.”

It was additionally showcased throughout a Fox & Pals dialogue on Thursday that includes former congressman Jason Chaffetz.

The GOP place could be defensible if there was no proof to current. However various key figures didn’t testify throughout the Home impeachment inquiry (John Bolton and Mick Mulvaney arguably foremost amongst them), and Schiff pointed out on Wednesday that investigators haven’t been in a position to get their fingers on key paperwork due to Trump administration stonewalling.

“Would you want me to learn that to you proper now?” Trump mentioned, referring to an uncommon first-person cable former performing US ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor despatched to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during which he expressed issues in regards to the Trump administration’s hold-up of navy help to the nation. “I wish to learn it to you proper now, besides I don’t have it, as a result of the State Division wouldn’t present it. However should you’d like me to learn it to you, we will do one thing about that. We are able to insist on getting that from the State Division … it’s only for the asking, and a doc referred to as a subpoena.”

You don’t need to take it from Schiff, nonetheless. Paradoxically, feedback made by staunch Trump defender Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) maybe greatest illustrate the absurdity of the GOP’s place {that a} truthful trial will be carried out with out all of the proof.

“I believe most if not all senators are listening to the case by the prosecution and the case by the protection for the primary time,” Kennedy said throughout a break on Wednesday night. “In the event you polled in the US Senate, 9 out of 10 senators will inform you they haven’t learn the transcript of the proceedings within the Home and the tenth senator who says he has or she has is mendacity.”

Kennedy, briefly, is acknowledging that Republican senators largely aren’t conversant in the proof that’s already out there, not to mention testimony and paperwork the Trump administration has blocked. So on the belief that the jurors intend to comply with via on their oath to “do neutral justice” and render a verdict primarily based on the information, you’d suppose they’d wish to see all of the related proof first.

However because the votes on Tuesday indicated, Republicans seemingly resolved to acquit Trump earlier than the proceedings even started. And plenty of of them apparently can’t even be bothered to provide you with a non-circular rationale for doing so.

Weak speaking factors in Trump’s protection could be ample for Fox Information, which went to drastic lengths to spin the primary day of the trial. However Schumer warned on the finish of his information convention on Thursday that he doesn’t suppose it’ll be adequate for voters.

“I’ll say this to my Republican buddies: If the American individuals imagine this isn’t a good trial, which proper now they appear to imagine as a result of there are not any witnesses and paperwork, acquittal may have zero worth to the president or the Republicans,” he said.

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