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After a feisty end to the last day of evidence in Trump impeachment trial things aren’t any less snippy this morning ..... Democrats considering whether they are going to call witnesses, messages coming from Trump sources “if you do that it’s going to get real ugly, real quick.”
Today’s hearing begins now - impeachment managers apparently weighing whether to call witnesses to testify what DT was doing during riot and why he didn’t intervene. Reality is witness or no witness there won’t be a vote to impeach.
Toss up for Democrats - they won’t get their win, they could raise more difficult issues but also risk dragging this out, getting in the way of the new administration’s business.
Chaplain Barry Black’s prayer today urges senators to show the same courage in defending the oath they took to protect the constitution as Officer Eugene Goodman showed in protecting them on the day. The officer was awarded Congress’ highest honour last night.
Ok Raskin is up......recapping the case, explaining how they have built the case, but.......now discussing the conversation between DT and Kevin McCarthy. Saying this adds to the case of dereliction of duty ..... sounds like he’s going for witnesses.
Yep - they are going for witness testimony....this is significant and a departure from the original proposal. Want to call Rep Jaime Herrera Beutler, who last night spoke of phone call between DT and Kevin McCarthy.
She claims when KMcC spoke with DT he told them they were his supporters and call them off. Trump replied “Well Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you.” Herrera-Beutler called on other “patriots” to come forward and offer any information they had.
Jaime Herrera Beutler wrote on Twitter “To the patriots who were standing next to the former president as these conversations were happening, or even to the former VP, if you have something to add here, now would be the time.”
This plays to the impeachment managers claim that DT failed to intervene to stop the attack on the Capitol.
Seems like DT’s lawyer Michael van der Veen got out of the same side of the bed again today. He was Mr Angry yesterday and he’s Mr Angry again now. It does rather feel like he’s playing a role for an audience of one. And that man is watching in Florida.
He’s not happy about witnesses, he’s not happy about Zoom depositions, now he’s stabbing the podium with his finger to the laughter of the senate. It’s like the baddie in the panto, not sure if American’s know the “he’s behind you” phrase but I’m waiting for someone to shout it.
It’s a very strange delivery, obviously he has absolute right to make his points but this feels like one of those dreadful mid-afternoon legal dramas where every day ends on a cliff-hanger or a wobbly lip......
Senator Patrick Leahy, who rules this chamber, now warning about the use of language not conducive to civil discourse.
Just for background, Michael van der Veen is a personal injury lawyer hired in the last few days after DT’s last legal team resigned. Mr van der Veen actually sued DT last year over his claims of ballot rigging.
Senators have voted to call witnesses including 4 Republican witnesses. Mr Angry looks very angry now. Interestingly he is the only one in the room not wearing a mask.
Republicans Romney, remember the footage of him running for safety, Susan Collins, Ben Sasse and Lisa Murkowski all voted for witnesses. They would have been the safe bets for conviction too. The awkward squad for the Republicans.
Lindsay Graham just changed his vote to yes for witnesses .... suspect this means the GOP are going to start calling a lot of witnesses and this is going to get a bit more unpleasant.
Just to correct .... that’ll be Lindsey not Lindsay.....Graham. All sorts of shenanigans going on now. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz in deep chats with Trump legal team. Yep .... that’s pretty much the equivalent of the jurors in a case talking to the defence team.
Senate in recess ahead of calling of Jaime Herrera Beutler - there’s a lot to work out now. This was going to be a nice quite morning ..... a few hours of summing up and a vote. They have a whole different game now.
Could this be the moment the walls come down....will those who were in the inner circle that day decide this is the moment to come forward and say what was really going on in the WH that day? Bear in mind the former VP Mike Pence and his team very unhappy.
