The Senate erupted in rare laughter on Saturday when defense attorney for the removal of former President Donald Trump, Michael van der Veen, threatened to bring Democrats to his “Philly-Delphia” law firm for deposition. .
Van der Veen, outraged by a Democratic surprise of witnesses at trial, scolded the senators for laughing, apparently believing they found the substance of his humorous legal argument rather than his intentional or erroneous slip of the tongue.
The moment of gravity came when the trial, which was expected to end after the discussions closed on Saturday, warmed up as it was extended with the request for at least one witness.
Van der Veen said he wanted to oust Democrats who allegedly used fire rhetoric similar to Trump’s Jan. 6 stimulus for fans to “fight” to overthrow state voters.
“We have to take the deposition of Nancy Pelosi. Kamala: The deposition of Vice President Harris is absolutely necessary. And not for Zoom. Zoom does not have to make any of these stools. We didn’t do this hearing for Zoom. These depositions must be made in person at my Philadelphia office. This is where they should be done, ”said van der Veen.
“I don’t know how many civil lawyers there are here, but that’s how it works, people. When you want someone’s deposition, send a deposition notice and it’ll show up at the place where the notice says. That’s a civil process. I don’t know why. “It’s a civil process. That’s what the lawyers do. We’re sending deposition notices.”
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Who presides over the trial in the Senate, asked the senators to compose.
“I would remind everyone that we will have order in the room during these proceedings,” Leahy said.
Van der Veen told the senators, “I didn’t laugh at any of you. And there’s nothing to laugh about here. “
And he added: “You mentioned that my client was coming to testify. It is not done that way. If I wanted to talk to Donald Trump, I should have left a quote, as if giving a quote to a good number of people. Witnesses are what is required here for them to try to get their case back in order. “
After a 55-45 vote to allow witnesses, senators are discussing an agreement on the detection of specific people with knowledge of Trump’s actions during the Capitol Revolt, which he is accused of inciting.
A simple majority is required to call specific witnesses. Some witnesses were dismissed as part of President Bill Clinton’s Senate trial in 1999, but no witnesses were called last year for Trump’s first trial for allegedly abusing his power by asking Ukraine to investigate the current president. Biden and his son Hunter.