The similarities continue in that in the impeachment proceeding the trial is held in the US Senate and the 100 senators are the jury. Technically the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is the judge, but as a practical matter the leader of the majority party runs the trial determining, with the consent of his/her majority caucuses (which is usually a given), how the trial will proceed, what witnesses will be called, etc. In this position the majority leader is the equivalent to the foreman of the jury with many of the powers of a judge in a criminal case.


It follows in this case, Mitch McConnell, the foreman of the jury who also has many prerogatives of the judge in a criminal case, is blatantly bragging that he is coordinating with the defendant and his lawyers on how the trial will be run, what witnesses will be called, etc. And he is doing so before the trial starts, before there is even a bill of impeachment. We should also note that he is apparently not coordinating with the leaders in the House who will act as the prosecutors in the trial and present the case against the president.

In addition, McConnell, the foreman of the Senate Jury, has also revealed that he has already made up his mind to vote “not guilty” before the first shred of evidence is presented.