Democrats’ retreat on witnesses brings messy end to Trump trial
WASHINGTON — The Democrats who prosecuted Donald Trump’s impeachment trial faced puzzlement and criticism from senators on Saturday as they surprised most everyone — Trump’s lawyers and Senate Democrats included — with an attempt to call witnesses, only to abandon it as lawmakers balked at the possibility of an extended trial.
The House impeachment managers opened the final day of the trial by announcing they would seek to depose Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., who had shared her account of a call between Trump and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy as rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The House Democrats charged that Trump incited the violent insurrection, which left five dead, and the former president appeared to side with the rioters on the call.
Senators in both parties reacted with shock and frustration to the gambit, with many arguing that witnesses wouldn’t change any votes and could extend the trial for weeks. Still, 55 senators voted to allow the testimony, with Senate Democrats saying they would support whatever the impeachment managers thought would be best.
But Trump’s lawyers quickly threatened to seek votes on at least 100 witnesses on their own side, making clear the process would be both protracted and partisan.
After negotiations, Democrats agreed to read Herrera Beutler’s statement into the record and forego witnesses completely — moving the Senate to a final vote.
In a statement on Friday night, Herrera Beutler said McCarthy told her he spoke with Trump as rioters were storming the Capitol. She said McCarthy asked Trump to publicly “call off the riot” and he told Trump that the violent mob was made up of Trump supporters, not far-left antifa members.
In her statement, posted on Twitter, Herrera Beutler said: “That’s when, according to McCarthy, the president said: ‘Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.’ ”
She then called on people with knowledge of Trump’s conversation with McCarthy to speak out.
“And to the patriots who were standing next to the former president as these conversations were happening, or even to the former vice president: If you have something to add here, now would be the time,” she said.