Senators say there is a second historic dismissal trial for ex President Trump
Donald TrumpTwitter permanently suspends Gateway Pundit founder’s account, Wyoming Republican Party censors Cheney for Trump’s ouster vote Trump’s access to intelligence briefings will be determined by officials, according to the White House : report MORE it could only take a matter of days, in what is set up to be a quick process.
Leader of the Senate majority Charles Schumer
Chuck Schumer: More than 60 progressive groups urge Schumer to nix filibuster Booker reintroduces bill to give all newborns, 000 savings accounts Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez and Blumenauer want Biden to declare climate emergency MORE (DN.Y.) and minority leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell: Republicans try to plunge Democrats into school reopening The GOP blames White House staff for the lack of a COVID-19 relief agreement. (R-Ky.) They are still trying to reach an agreement on the organization of the trial, which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday.
But senators say they want to finish it quickly, suggesting it could last about a week. Democrats, while arguing that Trump’s trial is necessary, are also focusing their political energy on passing coronavirus relief.
“I can’t imagine it will go beyond a week,” the senator said. Kevin Cramer
Kevin John CramerGOP blames White House staff for lack of COVID-19 relief agreement Little-known Senate arbitrator for playing important role in Biden relief plan OMB candidate to be heard on 9 of February MORE (RN.D.). “I don’t think anyone is very excited about it.”
His. Chris Murphy
Christopher (Chris) Scott Murphy Sunday shows preview: budget resolution paves the way for a .9 trillion stimulus; Senate prepares for indictment trial Five things to know about Biden’s Yemen movement Why school nurses are vital to end school prison pipeline MORE (D-Conn.), When asked about his own preferences regarding the length of the trial, said, “I don’t think it should last more than a week.”
“A couple of days for each band would be enough,” he added.
His. Tom Carper
Thomas (Tom) Richard Carper Five Meals to Take to the Budget Marathon Senate Appoints First Black Secretary of Senate Report The Hill’s 12:30 – Presented by Facebook – White House Aims Climate Change in Today’s Executive Orders MORE (D-Del.), A close ally of President Biden, said the trial should last “days.”
“The trial is not something that should take months or weeks. Days. Days. And then we can put the administration team back in place,” Carper told reporters.
The agreement requested by McConnell and Schumer would set a timetable for the first phase of the trial that includes opening arguments from both the House prosecution managers and Trump’s attorneys.
If the Senate does not vote to call witnesses, the trial could quickly end with possible motions from senators, deliberations on charges, closing of arguments, and then a vote on whether Trump can be convicted of high crimes and misdemeanors.
Chamber prosecution managers invited Trump to testify, a request rejected by his lawyers. Democrats have not yet said whether they will ask to call additional witnesses.
Trump’s first trial lasted 21 days, which meant the shortest presidential trial of the moment. The trial of then-President Clinton lasted 37 days and the trial against President Johnson in 1868 lasted 83 days.
Structurally, the next test will be different, which could speed it up. The Senate has already been invested as a jury and Sen. Patrick Leahy
Patrick Joseph LeahyHarris cast first tiebreaker vote as Senate vice president appoints first black Senate secretary Democrats offer resolution to denounce white supremacists ahead of Trump trial MORE (D-Vt.) He has been sworn in as president.
Republicans have also cast a vote on the trial (on the question of whether or not it was constitutional), although Republican Party senators have warned they could force a similar vote against it once the trial begins.
And while attempts to drag the trial by Republicans could eat up extra days in early Biden presidency, top committee members prefer to end the trial.
“What we hear is that the Dems, at least the base Dems, say they don’t want to drag them. Most want to work on other things. … So it seems that the two parties are interested in each other for a shorter trial, “said the senator. John Thune
John Randolph ThuneHouse votes to oust Greene’s committees for embracing conspiracy theories. Republicans try to take offense at voting-a-branch The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Cheney retains leadership position; Stop punishing MORE to Greene (SD), Republican Senator no. 2, he told The Hill, asking if this would open the door to ending it the first weekend after the trial began.
A senior Republican senator predicted the trial could take place as early as Friday or Saturday, because “that’s what both parties probably want to do.”
According to the package of rules for Trump’s 2020 impeachment trial, both sides had 24 hours that could be spread over three days to present their case. Senators had two days to ask questions.
McConnell, then the majority leader, had initially planned to give both parties a two-day piece to open arguments, but eventually withdrew after a bipartisan howl. If managers of the removal of the House or Trump’s legal team had wanted to use his full time, this could have resulted in 12-hour sessions.
If the Senate applied the same agreement to Trump’s second trial, it would ensure that it would last at least eight days, if there were no absent House removal managers, the former president’s legal team, or the senators themselves returning. back.
But senators are also entering very unfamiliar territory as they prepare to hold a second trial for the removal of Trump, the first president to go through the process twice. It will also be the first time a trial has been held for a former president and the first time the head of justice has not presided over the presidential indictment proceedings.
The only dismissal article against Trump also largely cites public events, including the president’s speech on Jan. 6, when he urged his supporters to march on the Capitol, where then-Vice President Pence and members of Congress were counting on him. the victory of the Biden Electoral College.
Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) Told CNN that the trial will be short because of the simple narrative.
“It will be a short trial. It will be a set of open, closed and fairly simple evidence consisting of what he said in his tweets before to invite and implore these people to come to the Capitol, ”said Blumenthal.
This is a change from 2020, when the articles included a complicated foreign policy, a long list of actors and having to familiarize both legislators and Americans with a largely unknown and complicated history.
“It’s a very small set of facts. It is a narrow article. … We are not voting to remove a presidency, and therefore I am not sure that other precedents from previous trials will be maintained, ”Murphy said.
Cramer, when asked about the precedents, said he didn’t think it would take long, adding, “I don’t know why it would take so long.”
Another motivating factor for a speedy trial is approaching lawmakers: the one-week break from presidents ’day. It’s the Senate’s first break in 2021 and comes just before the chamber is expected to move at a lightning pace to try to bring a packet of coronavirus to Biden’s table before federal unemployment benefits expire in mid-March .
“Making a backup at the President’s Day break is one reason I think, and I think it will probably be a motivating factor for both parties,” Thune said.
His. Tim Kaine
Timothy (Tim) Michael Kaine: On The Money: Biden indicates that it will advance in the relief of COVID-19 without GOP Economy adds 49,000 jobs in January The push for the minimum wage provokes democratic divisions The push for the minimum wage provokes democratic divisions Democratic divisions Veterinary senators for Boston Mayor Walsh, Secretary of Labor MORE (D-Va.) He said the Senate could be in session in part, but not all, for the pause, which would still place the trial around a week from the time the trial begins Tuesday.
“It looks like both sides want it to be reasonably short,” Kaine said. “So they’re thinking we could get a little into the recess.”