Republicans Shift Blame To Pelosi, Schumer As They Blast Impeachment Trial As ‘Partisan Farce’

Topline

Two days before the start of former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial, some Republican senators took to the Sunday morning political shows in an attempt to channel the criticism directed against Trump back at Democrats, as they blast the trial as without merit— potentially offering a preview of legal arguments in coming days.

Key Facts

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) slammed the trial as a “partisan farce” during an interview with Fox News Sunday, before suggesting Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) should face impeachment himself for past comments he made against Supreme Court justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh in March 2020. 

“If we’re going to criminalize speech, and somehow impeach everybody who says, ‘Go fight to hear your voices heard,’ I mean really we ought to impeach Chuck Schumer then,” Paul said, citing Schumer’s March, 2020, comments that the justices would “pay the price” for decisions in abortion rights cases.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) deflected blame for the riot onto House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) during an interview with Fox News Sunday, floating a conspiracy theory Pelosi was using impeachment as a “diversion effort” to “deflect” from “what [she] knew and when [she] knew it?”

Former Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows echoed Johnson, criticizing Congress for not doing more to beef up security ahead of the riots, though he didn’t name Pelosi directly.

The House and Senate, which was controlled by Republicans on January 6, have oversight over the Capitol Police budget, but neither Pelosi, nor any other congressional lawmaker, influences the day to day operations of the police force.   

Key Background

Paul and Johnson were two of 45 Republicans to vote on a measure declaring the second impeachment trial unconstitutional last month. The vote signified Democrats do not have the votes—67—to convict Trump. Five Republicans voted with Democrats on the point of order: Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. Some others, despite voting against the trial’s constitutionality, have said they will hear the evidence, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

What To Watch For

During the impeachment trial, Trump’s legal team is planning to use clips of Democrats’ remarks amid the George Floyd protests in an effort to portray Democrats as hypocritical.  

Chief Critic

Mirroring the argument made by most Senate Republicans, Sen. Ron Wicker (R-Miss.) told ABC News on Sunday he was against convicting Trump because he believes it unconstitutional to try a president after he leaves office. Asked whether Trump should be held accountable for his actions on January 6, Wicker responded, “If being held accountable means being impeached by the House and convicted by the Senate, the answer to that is no,” before suggesting Trump could face consequences in the “court of public opinion” or by a prosecutor bringing charges.  

Tangent

“We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them, because you’ll never take back our country with weakness,” Trump told the rioters in Washington D.C. on January 6, before they stormed the Capitol. “You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.” Trump also encouraged his supporters to “fight like Hell” or they would not “have a country anymore.” Trump did, at one point, encourage his supporters to be peaceful, saying, “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.” In the days leading up to the takeover, Trump spread conspiracy theories about election fraud and refused to concede to President Joe Biden, despite overwhelming evidence he had lost. 

Further Reading

Trump impeachment lawyer says he’ll use video of Dems’ own remarks at trial (Politico)


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