"An impeachment trial without witnesses would be a stunning departure from this institution's past practice...The Senate has always taken its responsibility to administer a fair trial seriously." -@RepJeffries on hundreds of years of precedent for witnesses in impeachment trials. pic.twitter.com/PwNX601DdA
— House Intelligence Committee (@HouseIntel) January 22, 2020
With every 53-47 vote taken with respects to requesting additional witnesses or documents, a pattern begins to emerge: the Republicans in the Senate really, truly, do not want to have any pertinent information at this impeachment trial. I don't think this should be news, even though many very hopeful people called Senate offices thinking: "We only need four honest Senators and true." (Who are not afraid to discover things like, what, when, how, why, where and with who?)
But the exercise of making separate motions and demonstrating a case for each motion isn't a pointless bit of drudgery intended to wear out Senators making an awfully late night of it. (How ever they would have managed the two nights into the wee hours that McConnell originally suggested, I do not know.) They are breaking down the very case that was made in the House with the peripheral information that would be illuminated by the additional information and getting the Senate GOP on record as having rejected each thoroughly articulated case.
Getting them on record for what they are willing to defend or support from this President has a certain value. Republicans are treating President Trump like he might be a floatation device going in to the 2020 elections, but there is a solid probability that he could be a rotting albatross tied to an anchor.
I think Jennifer Rubin is right, here:
In his calm and methodical presentation, Schiff scored a victory: Democrats have effectively built the case that the Senate would be guilty of a coverup if it allows Trump to continue to conceal witnesses and documents. (Since the public already believes by huge margins that witnesses should be allowed, Schiff has the wind of public opinion at his back.)
People don't innately trust Trump, the Senate, and sure as heck not McConnell. A substantial number of people believe we need to know what is going on, but here the GOP are, trying to make sure people don't hear everything. That really does look like a cover-up.
And we know that can be more damaging than the crime. But insofar as we have abuse of power and use of government resources for basically his own campaign, the underlying crimes (like, violation of the Impound Control Act and extortion and basically using government personnel to be his oppo research team?) are also really bad.
And so far, no Republicans can even show an interest. Sad!
Also, and not for nothing, Trump's defense? He is not getting the best people.
UPDATE: It's like this--
"My colleagues are now on record. And they will be haunted by history and perhaps by the voters because they're on record against witnesses and documents." - Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Senate Republicans defeating a series of amendments from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pic.twitter.com/CLFBqaQBis
— CNN (@CNN) January 22, 2020
what gnaws at me is that there is a certain optimism in the strategy--it's all very well to tell people outright that you have the eyes of the world upon you and are being judged, but I suspect the GOP side is depending upon apathy, confusion, and tribal loyalty. I want to believe people still know what a rat smells like when Senator McConnell is being one.
That said, Hugh Hewitt can get bent. Just entirely practice self-origami. And press down hard at the creases.
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