On the recordFebruary 5, 2020
when the Framers debated whether to include the power of impeachment in the Constitution, they envisioned a moment very much like the one we face now. They were fearful of a corrupt President who would abuse the Presidency for his or her personal gain, particularly one who would allow any foreign country to interfere in the affairs of our United States. With this fear in mind, the Framers directed the Senate to determine whether to ultimately remove that President from office. In normal times, the Senate--conscious of its awesome responsibility--would meet this moment with the appropriate sobriety and responsibility to conduct a full and fair trial. That includes calling appropriate witnesses and subpoenaing relevant documents, none of which happened here. In normal times, the Senate would have weighed the evidence presented by both sides and rendered impartial justice. And in normal times, having been presented with overwhelming evidence of impeachable acts, the Senate would have embraced its constitutional responsibility to convict the President and remove him or her from office. But as we have learned too often over the past 3 years, these are not normal times. Instead of fulfilling its duty later today, the U.S. Senate will fail its test at a crucial moment of our country by voting to acquit Donald J. Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The Senate cannot blame its constitutional failure on the House managers.…
