Democratic indictments have drawn harsh criticism from left and right on Saturday after they swung over whether to call witnesses in the Senate hearing on former President Donald Trump.
Trump was found not guilty of inciting an uprising in a 57-43 vote on Saturday.
Critics said the Democrats “agreed” because they issued a press release from Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., Read in the report after initially asking to be fired – a step that could potentially extend the indictment process by weeks.
Beutler threw a wrench into the indictment following a statement Friday night in which she said Trump appeared on Jan. 6 during a conversation with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif, at the Capitol riots.
“When McCarthy finally came out to the president on January 6 and asked him to end the riot in public and by force, the president initially repeated the lie that it was the antifa who had violated the Capitol. McCarthy refuted this and to the president said it was Trump supporters, “she said. “That’s when, according to McCarthy, the president said, ‘Well, Kevin, I think these people are more upset about the election than you are.’
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Beutler added: “To the patriots who stood next to the former president while these talks were taking place, or even with the former vice president: if you had anything to add here, it would be time.”
The move to call Beutler follows suggestions from several Senate Democrats that it might be wise to call witnesses with knowledge of Trump’s actions on Jan. 6.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, DR.I., said Friday night that “one way to clear up the confusion is ‘about what Trump knew and when on Jan. 6′[s]trial to oust McCarthy and Tuberville and get facts. Ask the secret service to produce for review, back to the VP security of the White House during the siege. “
Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., Also said: “House leaders should ask for witnesses to be called, including anyone who communicated with Donald Trump or had direct knowledge of his actions and state of mind while in the White House after the Capitol was violated. and while the coup attempt was underway. ‘
Senator Chris Van Hollen, MD, said he would be open to the House Managers who would also bring witnesses to MSNBC.
All 50 Senate Democrats and five Republicans initially voted to allow testimony before the indictment backed down hours later.
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Witnesses summoned could have extended the trial by weeks, possibly enabling Trump defense attorneys to call their own witnesses. The work to remove witnesses would have taken place from the stage, thus enabling the Democrats to work on President Biden’s agenda in the meantime. But Politico reported that the House executives came under pressure from the Senate Democrats to withdraw their plan to oust Beutler.
Raskin addressed the decision to withdraw from the call to oust Beutler when the Senate reconvened at his initial request.
After the masterful submission, I do not want to approach the decisions of the home managers about further witnesses or depositions. Their work has produced an overwhelming record that supports persuasion
“We tried this case as aggressively as possible on the law and on the facts … We got from the president’s lawyers exactly what we wanted. It was the proof of the statement by our fellow Congressman Beutler,” he said. said. . ‘And we realized I could read it in front of the whole country, and it became part of the case. And it has become an important part of our cause. ‘
He added: ‘We could have had 500 witnesses, and that would not be the arguments made by Mitch McConnell and other Republicans who hung their hats on the claim that it was somehow unconstitutional to try a former president “has not been overcome.”
The choice not to bring any evidence for the Senate hearing meant that no witness or testimony was taken by the House or the Senate during the indictment. The Home Managers base their case largely on press releases. This was in stark contrast to Trump’s first indictment, in which the House conducted weeks of evictions and hearings with first-hand witnesses.
In this image from the video, the indictment manager of the House, Jamie Raskin, D-Md., Speaks during the second indictment of former President Donald Trump in the Senate in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Thursday, February 11, 2021. (Senate Television via AP)
((Senate television via AP))
Accusation Manager Del. Stacey Plaskett, DV.I., said that even if the Home Managers had done the job, they would not have changed the outcome of the trial.
“Other people who may have been there with the president were not friendly witnesses for us and were not friendly witnesses and would have required subpoenas and months of lawsuits,” she said. “A year later, they are still suing McGahn and accusing him.”
The indictment managers nevertheless received criticism for turning left and right.
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“It’s so bad,” said Meena Harris, niece of Vice President Harris. “Just do us the favor of not acting when he runs again in 2024.”
“Even if you’re convinced that no evidence will change the thinking of 40 Republicans – and I think that’s a fair assumption – it’s an incredible mistake to leave witnesses on the table,” said Matt Fuller, a Huffington reporter. Post, said. “After accusation managers put forward a fantastic case, the decision to fold will be remembered.”
Addie Elie Mystal of The Nation: “Anyone who thinks that no witness would have changed the Republican mind should explain to me why Impeachment (which would never change the Republican mind) was worth it in the first place. The people who think that Impeachment was NOT worth at least INTELLECTUALLY CONSISTENT.
“This is a retreat. White flag. Malpractice. Completely unstrategic. They just closed the door on others who may have resigned, as @HerreraBeutler insisted last night,” said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change campaign committee. “Just when we thought Dems were brave and strategic. It removes lameness from the jaws of boldness. ‘
Whitehouse, one of the senators who spoke openly to witnesses, defended the House executives in a statement to Fox News on Saturday.
“After the masterful presentation, I do not intend to guess the decisions of Home Managers about further witnesses or depositions. Their work yields an overwhelming record that supports conviction,” he said.
Representatives of Van Hollen, Markey and Beutler did not respond to requests for comment from Fox News on the reversal of the House Managers.
Republicans, meanwhile, have succumbed to the alleged mistake of Democrats.
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“It’s a mess!” Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., Said. “It was a last-minute Hail Mary by Democrats who have now conceded and yet will not call any more witnesses. We must govern and not play games.
“Puppy, this is official: #DemsInDisarray,” said Doug Andres, the press secretary of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
“Well, it was a waste of time,” the Republican Senate’s official Twitter account said. “Let’s get back to work.”
A senior assistant on the indictment team defended the decision to prevent any eviction and simply include Beutler’s statement in the report.
“Now that Trump’s team has conceded to bring this indisputable statement to the trial record, it could be considered by Senators, along with the already overwhelming evidence about President Trump’s actions on January 6, without the summons, dismissal and other evidence,” he said. the assistant said before the final vote to convict.
The assistant added: “Over the past four days, House Prosecutors have laid overwhelming, irrefutable evidence of the president’s guilt for inciting insurgency … The strongest evidence of Trump’s failure to perform during and after the attack has always been Trump’s. . own public statements on that day and his own deafening refusal to say ‘stop the attack’. “
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Trump’s second indictment was fueled by the January 6 riot at the US Capitol. Trump, after months of false claims that he won the presidential election, convened a rally in Washington, DC, with his supporters for the same day that Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence met in a joint sitting to discuss the results to confirm the election.
Trump reiterated his false election claims during the rally and he and advisers use rhetoric to provoke the large crowd. At one point in the protest, Trump told his followers to march “peacefully and patriotically” to the Capitol, a remark his defenders refer to as part of the reason why he does not take responsibility for the looting of the Capitol.
But House executives argued that one remark did not upset the balance of Trump’s other comments in the speech or in subsequent months. They said he bears fundamental responsibility for the mob that violated the Capitol and forced hundreds of lawmakers and the former vice president to hide while singing “Mike Pence” among others.
Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.