‘It’s Pandemonium’: Senate Erupts Into Chaos And Shouting Matches After Approving Witnesses

“It erupted into chaos,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told reporters, claiming several Democratic senators don’t want to call witnesses and declaring “it’s pandemonium,” while Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) said the situation is a “hot mess right now.”

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), a Trump ally, had a heated exchange with Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who voted with Democrats to call witnesses, and told Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), “We should’ve just ended this, that’s all I’m saying,” according to pool reports.

Asked about his comments to Romney, Johnson told reporters “those are private conversations… that’s grotesque you guys are recording this,” later insisting he wasn’t upset at Romney, just “upset at the vote.”

Some Republicans lamented that the approval of witnesses could extend the trial for long periods of time, with Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) hyperbolically suggesting it “might be months” and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) complaining, “This is what happens when you’re not prepared.”

Amid the chaos are bipartisan huddles and negotiations between Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the impeachment managers, according to Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who, along with Hickenlooper, predicted a deal within hours.