Orrin Hatch: “I wish to personally thank the distinguished chairwoman of this committee. I have been in the Senate a pretty long time…”

“I wish to personally thank the distinguished chairwoman of this committee. I have been in the Senate a pretty long time, and she has done one of the best jobs I have ever seen done. There aren't very many impeachments--or should I say trials of impeachment, but of the ones I have seen, she ranks right up there in the top. All I can say is she ran a very good committee. She made very good decisions, she wasn't afraid to rule, she treated everybody with dignity and respect. She expected a lot of the members of the committee, which has to be the way, and she is a very intelligent and articulate and knowledgeable person. It has been my privilege to be able to serve with her and under her as vice chairman of this committee. This is when you realize how important the Senate is, when all the Senators come together and they make decisions such as this, pro and con. Nobody should misjudge not guilty votes or guilty votes. I think every Senator voted the way he or she felt they should vote, and that was important. I think much of the credit for the way this was all handled should go to the distinguished chairwoman, Senator McCaskill. She is an excellent human being, a wonderful leader on this committee, and, frankly, I am very proud of her for what she was able to do because this is not easy, and it does take a lot of time.”