House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) criticized Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday over setting the stage for a “rigged” impeachment trial for president Trump.
Schiff, the lead impeachment manager on the House team, zeroed in on a provision in the rules resolution that could force the impeachment trial to go late into the night.
The provision gives the impeachment managers 24 hours to present their arguments, but over just two legislative days, with arguments beginning Wednesday and Thursday at 1 p.m.
Schiff declined to say if House managers will use the full 24 hours they are expected to have to make their case, but argued that the schedule proposed by McConnell would set the stage for a “rigged” trial.
“That will be a decision that the House should make, not that the senators should prescribe to go late into the evening. Look there is a wealth of evidence to present here, and we should have the opportunity to present the case as the House chooses to present its case. Not to go late into evening,” Schiff said.
He added that McConnell was opening the door for the trial to go until roughly 1 a.m., if one side used all 12 hours each day, because he hoped “the public will not be watching.”
“I think the question is what is … Senator McConnell’s interest in structuring the trial this way? Is this about hiding the evidence from the American people with late night sessions? Is this about just trying to get it over with?” Schiff added.
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House impeachment managers released a joint statement on Tuesday saying the proposed process is “rigged.”
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- Discussion
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JUST IN: Schiff accuses McConnell of setting stage for "rigged" impeachment trial https://t.co/bXXY5OVsLM pic.twitter.com/95JMDg0cxD
— The Hill (@thehill) January 21, 2020
Nadler: “To be debating whether you can have the evidence admitted, to be debating whether you should allow witnesses, is to be debating whether you should have a cover-up — by definition.”
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) January 21, 2020
2/ So when you're underwater in the polls, drowning in public anger at becoming accessories to Trump's coverup, here's a handy list of what went wrong. Clip-and-save, because you'll need it later.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 21, 2020
4/ D (cont). Two-thirds of the American people want to see evidence and witnesses. Support for impeachment is steady.
E. The McConnell strategy looks great in the short term as a DC-clever-process story in a few months looks like a massive coverup.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 21, 2020
6/ H. Even if he *does* help you, does it *help* you? Trump rally fever plays only to the reddest red audiences. You know, like Maine and AZ…oh. Wait.
I. Mitch only has so much money to spread around. Sure, in January he's saying, "I got you" but does he have *enough*?
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 21, 2020
8/ K. Voters hate corruption (cf, 1974, 1980, 1994, 2006) as just a few examples in recent memory) and they hate its enablers more. It reinforces their existing feelings about politics and politicians.
L. Trump gets passes you never, ever will.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 21, 2020
10/ N. Everything Trump Touches Dies.
Proceed accordingly.
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 21, 2020
Pat Cipollone: "The only conclusion will be that the President has done absolutely nothing wrong." https://t.co/eA1XICrOgJ pic.twitter.com/kcvtZ98d2h
— The Hill (@thehill) January 21, 2020
Jay Sekulow: "Mr. Schiff also talked about a trifecta. I'll give you a trifecta…" pic.twitter.com/QoWyDsD4zx
— The Hill (@thehill) January 21, 2020
Rep. Adam Schiff: "Astonishingly, the President's trial brief filed yesterday contends that even if this conduct is proved, there is nothing the House or this Senate may do about it." pic.twitter.com/F4rF4Ivzeu
— The Hill (@thehill) January 21, 2020
Those saying the House should have gone to court to resolve it ignore the WH's position on this (which they've argued in McGahn case): that courts have no role resolving disputes between the Executive and Congress.
— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) January 21, 2020
Quick point on Sekulow: he says the House should have waited for the courts to render judgments on their challenges to subpoenas etc. — but the Trump admin has argued in federal court for several months now that the courts have no role in resolving these types of disputes.
— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) January 21, 2020
Sekulow came out swinging with multiple lies right out of the bucket. Impressive.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 21, 2020
Sekulow and Cipollone are not actually bothering with this trial: They're speaking directly to Fox Nation and creating talking points, knowing their audience is too stupid and too partisan to know (or care) how much of it is a lie.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 21, 2020All you kids out there, Mr. Cipollone is not mounting a defense against any charges.#ImpeachmentTrial
— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) January 21, 2020
Trump’s team lied. What are the odds? https://t.co/lhiEDk8VvO
— Clyde Haberman (@ClydeHaberman) January 21, 2020
It is hard to watch Pat Cipollone in the Senate without understanding that he is complicit in these impeachable events. He is a mob lawyer, nothing more.
— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) January 21, 2020
Another new low.
White House Counsel for President of United States on the floor of Senate engaging in disinformation.
Repeating false claim that Schiff “manufactured a false version of that call.” The call transcript was ALREADY PUBLIC, Schiff was obviously paraphrasing it. https://t.co/8lmfZ5gGey
— Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) January 21, 2020
But will there be lies? I was promised lies. https://t.co/eCToaaXjaM
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) January 21, 2020
Impartial jury choosing not to hear evidence. Totally normal. https://t.co/eHvrE0XGSw
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 21, 2020
Impartial juror https://t.co/4P8Sud7CKP
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) January 21, 2020
Rep. Adam Schiff: "Astonishingly, the President's trial brief filed yesterday contends that even if this conduct is proved, there is nothing the House or this Senate may do about it." pic.twitter.com/XGomK7E1WF
— The Hill (@thehill) January 22, 2020
.@realDonaldTrump’s lawyers have been complaining all day about being shut out of the House impeachment process, but here was Cipollone’s response to the House Judiciary Committee’s invitation to participate: pic.twitter.com/irhxbYZlwS
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) January 22, 2020
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