The Bearded Patriot
The Democrats are quickly losing control of Trump’s Senate impeachment trial.
House impeachment managers were forced to strike false statements from the record just as they were hoping to wrap up day 2 of the proceedings. Chaos erupted after a GOP senator demanded a retraction, creating procedural and strategic confusion for the managers.
The specific incident in question arose after Democrat impeachment manager, Rep. David Cicilline, recalled a fake news story that President Trump called Sen. Lee by accident when he meant to call Sen. Tuberville after senators were evacuated from the Senate floor during the Capitol protests of Jan. 6.
CLIP: @RepCicilline points to President Trump’s first call to anyone inside the Capitol during the attack on January 6: “He attempted to call Senator Tuberville. He dialed Senator Lee by accident…”
Sen. Lee would later move the phone conversation be stricken from the record. pic.twitter.com/IyBTgLmfYy
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 11, 2021
Sen. Lee clearly believed his actions and the characterization of the call as attributed to him were totally inaccurate. The GOP lawmaker sought to have Cicilline’s comments stricken from the record as the Senate moved to wrap up proceedings:
.@SenMikeLee says statements made by House Impeachment Managers regarding phone call involving President Trump and Senator Tuberville “were not made by be, they’re not accurate, and they’re contrary to fact. I move…that they be stricken from the record.”
#ImpeachmentTrial pic.twitter.com/6Z3EKD6Zzo
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 11, 2021
With little to no precedent, a remarkable moment occurred. Sen. Pat Leahy, the man presiding over the impeachment trial of Trump, immediately rejected Sen. Lee’s motion to strike the false statements from the record. Lee quickly appealed the rejection and demanded a vote to settle the issue. After several confusing moment with leadership, Leahy agreed and a Senate vote ensued. As roll was being called, Chuck Schumer, sensing control slipping away, intervened and demanded a stop to the vote. Schumer then enforced a sneaky procedural move, essentially pausing the Senate’s formal business off-camera while senators handle the dispute.
After many moments of back room debate, lead impeachment manger Raskin was forced to admit Cicilline’s characterization of Lee as it related to the phone call with Trump was in fact based on false news reports, was inaccurate, and should be withdrawn from the record.
“It’s not true,” Sen. Lee shouted over Raskin.
.@RepRaskin says @RepCicilline quoted a newspaper account: “We’re happy to withdraw it on the grounds that it is not true…This is much ado about nothing because it’s not critical in any way to our case.”@SenMikeLee: “You’re not the one being cited as a witness, sir.” pic.twitter.com/BE65ge57Bk
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 11, 2021
The chaos on the Senate floor is unlikely to change any votes in either direction as Trump’s acquittal is inevitable. However, this mistake from the Democrat impeachment managers will surely draw attention away from their core “facts” of the case and onto drama in the U.S. Senate. Trump’s defense team would be wise to seize the opportunity to capitalize on Democrats’ failure to run their trial.
This incident draws significant attention to the sinister reality of Sen. Leahy’s role in the impeachment trial after Supreme Court Justice Roberts declined to preside. Since Leahy is a senator, and was there on Jan. 6, he officially serves as presider, juror and witness in Trump’s impeachment trial, while also maintaining a role as a political opponent of the accused. The obvious conflict of interest is presenting a number of problems for the Democrats, weakening their case even further.
Nonetheless, despite the trial’s near certain outcome Democrats are pushing forward with their phony trial. They will continue their opening arguments as the week proceeds. After that, Trump’s attorneys will have a chance to present their opening arguments.
