McConnell not ruling out witnesses in impeachment trial
Source: AP
By ZEKE MILLER
PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that he was not ruling out calling witnesses in President Donald Trumps impeachment trial but indicated he was in no hurry to seek new testimony either as lawmakers remain at an impasse over the form of the trial by the GOP-controlled Senate.
The House voted Wednesday to impeach Trump, who became only the third president in U.S. history to be formally charged with high crimes and misdemeanors. But the Senate trial may be held up until lawmakers can agree on how to proceed. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is demanding trial witnesses who refused to appear during House committee hearings, including acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton.
McConnell, who has all-but-promised a swift acquittal of the president, has resisted making any guarantees, and has cautioned Trump against seeking the testimony of witnesses he desires for fear of elongating the trial. Instead, he appears to have secured GOP support for his plans to impose a framework drawn from the 1999 impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton.
We havent ruled out witnesses, McConnell said Monday in an interview with Fox and Friends. Weve said lets handle this case just like we did with President Clinton. Fair is fair.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., speaks with reporters after walking off the Senate floor, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Read more: https://apnews.com/7e8550f1b1469b642d221c457d281df0
Zorro
(15,740 posts)He's just mouthing this to deflect some of the criticism he'll be facing over the holiday recess.
cstanleytech
(26,293 posts)elleng
(130,964 posts)Historic NY
(37,449 posts)empedocles
(15,751 posts)OrlandoDem2
(2,065 posts)NCjack
(10,279 posts)WhoWoodaKnew
(847 posts)moved to Georgia when he was 8yo. He moved to Kentucky at 14yo.
Around that time was when the Federal Government had to FORCE people (in the states where he lived) to actually let black and white children go to school together.
The people around him (parents, grand parents, role models, townspeople) were the very people who wanted to continue to treat minorities as second class citizens (while they attended church of course).
That's where he's from. And it appears to me that it's where he still wants our country to be.
ancianita
(36,066 posts)in the Senate "plan" the actual witnesses are named, and confirm their appearances themselves.
Even then, he'll set up the trial to have them lie and then vote to acquit.
Never trust McConnell. Never.
scarytomcat
(1,706 posts)he stepped in it bad
Graham too
DeminPennswoods
(15,286 posts)nt
bluestarone
(16,972 posts)When he said tRUMPS innocent. (gotta at least look like a fair trial)
Talitha
(6,593 posts)Do. Not. Trust. Anything. He. Says.
Calista241
(5,586 posts)I cannot imagine him going with the whole "same rules as Clinton impeachment" strategy if he doesn't know he can dismiss the impeachment after the house managers present their case.
WhoWoodaKnew
(847 posts)moved to Georgia when he was 8yo. He moved to Kentucky at 14yo.
Around that time was when the Federal Government had to FORCE people (in the states where he lived) to actually let black and white children go to school together.
The people around him (parents, grand parents, role models, townspeople) were the very people who wanted to continue to treat minorities as second class citizens (while they attended church of course).
The man was 25yo before interracial marriage was made legal (and for decades afters it was still seen as HORRIBLE).
That's where he's from. And it appears to me that it's where he still wants our country to be.
Roy Rolling
(6,917 posts)He hasnt the power to rule out witnesses, of course he wont. He cant. Fu*k him.
duforsure
(11,885 posts)russian money from putin was laundered into their campaigns and their pockets, then watch him change his position. Was this why Lavrov visited the White House and trump the other day, to assure money for their support not to impeach trump as a bribe given?