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.
Former congresswoman wins primary to take back former suburban Chicago seat
Democrat Patty García gains party’s nomination after controversial last-minute dropout by incumbent
Two dead in Israel after Iranian missile attack near Tel Aviv
Pittsburgh police officers accused of ignoring ICE agents’ struggle with suspect
Upscale shopping district rocked by alleged antisemitic beating as lawyer, 2 others charged
Bombshell Whistleblower Report: Mueller’s Anti-Trump Witch Hunters Drank on the Job, Tried to Doctor Records, Violated Security Rules
Bombshell: O’Keefe Videos Indisputable Proof of Huge CA Voter Fraud – So Big Newsom’s Office Instantly Called for Prosecution
Trump calls mail in voting corrupt as Senate begins debate on SAVE Act requiring voter ID
Dems unmoved as White House reveals DHS concessions in shutdown battle
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Pam Bondi
Breaking Report: Joe Kent Was Leaker Who Had Been Cut from President’s Intel Briefings for Months
Iran’s leaders don’t need to hide, envoy insists, despite MIA Khamenei and dead officials
Obama-appointed judge orders release of MS-13 gang member with history of rape, robbery, attacked ICE officers
California Democrats vying to be governor take on soaring gas prices
Trump staging assassination attempt theories don’t factor ‘shell shock’: Salena Zito
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.
Former congresswoman wins primary to take back former suburban Chicago seat
Democrat Patty García gains party’s nomination after controversial last-minute dropout by incumbent
Two dead in Israel after Iranian missile attack near Tel Aviv
Pittsburgh police officers accused of ignoring ICE agents’ struggle with suspect
Upscale shopping district rocked by alleged antisemitic beating as lawyer, 2 others charged
Bombshell Whistleblower Report: Mueller’s Anti-Trump Witch Hunters Drank on the Job, Tried to Doctor Records, Violated Security Rules
Bombshell: O’Keefe Videos Indisputable Proof of Huge CA Voter Fraud – So Big Newsom’s Office Instantly Called for Prosecution
Trump calls mail in voting corrupt as Senate begins debate on SAVE Act requiring voter ID
Dems unmoved as White House reveals DHS concessions in shutdown battle
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Pam Bondi
Breaking Report: Joe Kent Was Leaker Who Had Been Cut from President’s Intel Briefings for Months
Iran’s leaders don’t need to hide, envoy insists, despite MIA Khamenei and dead officials
Obama-appointed judge orders release of MS-13 gang member with history of rape, robbery, attacked ICE officers
California Democrats vying to be governor take on soaring gas prices
Trump staging assassination attempt theories don’t factor ‘shell shock’: Salena Zito
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.
