After a brilliant legal defense was presented on Friday, the Senate was scheduled to vote on the conviction or acquittal of Donald Trump today. Unfortunately, a second-hand conversation a Republican representative from Washington State had with Kevin McCarthy sidelined the vote.
The Representative said Donald Trump and Kevin McCarthy had an argument over stopping the riot and it was enough to stop the vote so both sides can call witnesses.
This information about the call has been available for a while but it was saved for the final day. Republican Herrerra Beutler confirmed a conversation in which Kevin McCarthy allegedly told her that he tried to get Trump to call for an end to the siege but he insisted they were Antifa.
When McCarthy said they were Trump supporters, Trump allegedly said, “Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset with the election than you are.” The media reports that two others have confirmed the conversation.
-
The Importance of Prayer: How a Christian Gold Company Stands Out by Defending Americans’ Retirement
That prompted a call for witnesses as the Senate was about to vote for acquittal. Five Republicans at least — Collins, Murkowski, Sasse, Graham, and Romney — voted to call witnesses, prolonging this nightmare.
The House prosecutors said they would seek the testimony of Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) about her knowledge of a call between the ex-president and House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy as violence escalated at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Herrera Beutler on Friday night pleaded with former vice president Mike Pence and other Republicans with knowledge to come forward with their evidence about Trump’s conduct during the riots, Politico reported.
The decision is still subject to a Senate vote, expected later Saturday. But if the Senate supports the effort, it could prolong the trial for a week or more, particularly if Trump’s team asks for its own set of witnesses.
Ironically, Mitch McConnell said he would vote to acquit earlier, and he had to know this was coming up. It sounds like a contrived RINO stunt.
Trump’s defense team has argued that he was immediately “horrified” by what unfolded and took swift action to send aid to Congress.
Democrats say he did nothing to stop the violence.
Here’s Sen. Lindsey Graham changing his vote to AYE.
The five Republicans now who voted AYE on witnesses:
• Susan Collins
• Lisa Murkowski
• Mitt Romney
• Ben Sasse
• Lindsey GrahamThere will be witnesses. pic.twitter.com/1L0KskJ2m6
— The Recount (@therecount) February 13, 2021
Subscribe to the Daily Newsletter