WASHINGTON, DC — House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) argued on Tuesday that a refusal by the Senate to agree to Democrats’ demand to allow new witnesses and evidence in the impeachment trial without a vote would deem President Donald Trump guilty regardless of the verdict.
In other words, if the Republican-led Senate does not carry out the impeachment trial the way the Democrats want it to, Trump will be considered guilty even if the upper chamber acquits him. A guilty verdict in the Senate would remove Trump from office.
Schiff told reporters:
If the Senate and the senate leadership … will not allow the calling of witnesses or the presentation of documents, If [Senate Majority Leader Mitch] McConnell makes this the first impeachment trial in history without witnesses or documents, it will not prove the president innocent. It will merely prove the Senate guilty of working with the president to obstruct the truth from coming out, so I do think that by structuring the trial this way, it furthers our case that what’s going on here really is a cover-up of evidence to the American people.
Melania Trump debuts ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is’ as White House 2025 Christmas theme
Indiana GOP unveils draft of congressional map that carves up Indianapolis
Muslim Father and Sons Charged with Brutally Murdering Daughter for Her ‘Western’ Lifestyle
Playing God: Bill Gates Pushes Use of Sun-Dimming Technology at ‘Climate Tipping Point’
Appeals court finds Alina Habba unlawfully served as New Jersey prosecutor
NFL Coaching Legend Blasts Massive Issue He Saw While Watching Thanksgiving Games
Trump hit with setback as court rules Alina Habba unlawfully served as top federal prosecutor in New Jersey
Trump Admin Negotiators Make High-Stakes Visit to Russia After ‘Successful’ Ukraine Meeting
Reporter’s Notebook: Tennessee special election eyed as Trump referendum ahead of midterms
Trump invites families of two National Guard members shot in DC to White House, plans to honor soldiers
Trump offers to release his October MRI results, insists scan wasn’t of his brain
Foreign terror labels curb ISIS, but US radicals face fewer limits online, study finds
War Sec Pete Hegseth shares meme of children’s book character firing on narco terrorist drug boat
Slain National Guardsman Wanted to ‘Make a Difference’ During Trump Deployment, Felt the National Guard Should Do More
Trump Confirms US Stranglehold Over Venezuelan Airspace: ‘Closed in Its Entirety’
While McConnell says his newly unveiled resolution outlining the rules that will govern the Senate trial makes the process fair, Schiff argues otherwise, saying the guidelines “make it impossible to hear a fair trial.”
The Senate, nevertheless, is expected to approve the resolution.
Speaking from the Senate’s floor on Tuesday, McConnell noted that the resolution that lays out the rules for how Senators will carry out the impeachment trial allows for a vote on whether both parties can introduce new evidence and witnesses.
McConnell made it clear that he will not pre-commit to allowing new evidence before hearing the Democrats’ arguments for convicting Trump. Moreover, he acknowledged that no one pushed the House’s hand to rush the impeachment inquiry, noting that they could have waited for more evidence if they thought it necessary.
Melania Trump debuts ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is’ as White House 2025 Christmas theme
Indiana GOP unveils draft of congressional map that carves up Indianapolis
Muslim Father and Sons Charged with Brutally Murdering Daughter for Her ‘Western’ Lifestyle
Playing God: Bill Gates Pushes Use of Sun-Dimming Technology at ‘Climate Tipping Point’
Appeals court finds Alina Habba unlawfully served as New Jersey prosecutor
NFL Coaching Legend Blasts Massive Issue He Saw While Watching Thanksgiving Games
Trump hit with setback as court rules Alina Habba unlawfully served as top federal prosecutor in New Jersey
Trump Admin Negotiators Make High-Stakes Visit to Russia After ‘Successful’ Ukraine Meeting
Reporter’s Notebook: Tennessee special election eyed as Trump referendum ahead of midterms
Trump invites families of two National Guard members shot in DC to White House, plans to honor soldiers
Trump offers to release his October MRI results, insists scan wasn’t of his brain
Foreign terror labels curb ISIS, but US radicals face fewer limits online, study finds
War Sec Pete Hegseth shares meme of children’s book character firing on narco terrorist drug boat
Slain National Guardsman Wanted to ‘Make a Difference’ During Trump Deployment, Felt the National Guard Should Do More
Trump Confirms US Stranglehold Over Venezuelan Airspace: ‘Closed in Its Entirety’
McConnell stressed that the GOP-led Senate would not do the Democrat-controlled House’s investigation.
Key congressmen have recently threatened to call new witnesses to testify in the House if the Senate does take their deposition. They have also said they are continuing with their impeachment inquiry. Their comments came after House Democrats transmitted the two articles of impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — to the Senate, a move that is supposed to end the House’s role in the impeachment process.
Story cited here.
