Jason Riley: GOP Sen. Murkowski using 'Democratic talking points' on Trump impeachment trial

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Jason Riley: GOP Sen. Murkowski using 'Democratic talking points' on Trump impeachment trial

Jason Riley: GOP Sen. Murkowski using 'Democratic talking points' on Trump impeachment trial

Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski wrongly used "Democratic talking points" when she criticized Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's comments about how he would run President Trump's pending impeachment trial, Fox News contributor Jason Riley said Thursday.

Murkowski took exception to comments McConnell, R-Ky., made during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity earlier this month, in which he promised to be in "coordination" with the White House, should House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., submit the two articles of impeachment to the Senate.

"When I heard that, I was disturbed,” Murkowski told KTUU in an interview that aired Tuesday evening. “To me, it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense. And so, I heard what Leader McConnell had said, I happened to think that that has further confused the process."

Riley, a Wall Street Journal editorial board member, said on "Special Report" that Murkowski indeed has been known for her "independent streak" as a more-moderate GOP senator.

"Murkowski is not up for reelection. She is quirky, she does have an independent streak. We saw that in the Brett Kavanaugh hearings, we saw that in the ObamaCare repeal vote," he said. Murkowski bucked her party to oppose Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court last year.

MODERATE GOP SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI DISTURBED BY MCCONNELL'S IMPEACHMENT COMMENTS

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Riley continued, "I do wish she would stop using Democratic talking points to make the argument that she is making. The fact of the matter here is that the House's job is done and this idea that they should have any say in how the Senate conducts this trial just is not supported by what is written in black-and-white in the Constitution."

Riley pointed to the fact that no House Republicans voted with Democrats to impeach Trump, not even retiring lawmakers such as Reps. Will Hurd, R-Texas, and James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., who he said had "nothing to lose" if they broke with their party.

"The idea that Mitch McConnell isn't going to be bipartisan enough or objective enough, that is not his job. I expect him to be as bipartisan as Nancy Pelosi was and as Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler were," he added, referring to the speaker and the two committee chairmen who presided over impeachment hearings in a manner widely criticized on the right.

In other remarks, Murkowski said she was "totally good" with being viewed as someone who wasn't a Republican "rubber stamp."

"For me to prejudge and say there's nothing there or on the other hand, he should be impeached yesterday, that's wrong, in my view, that's wrong," she said. "If it means that I am viewed as one who looks openly and critically at every issue in front of me, rather than acting as a rubber stamp for my party or my president, I'm totally good with that."

However, Murkowski also criticized top Democrats for their rushed schedule, which she said appeared to be aimed at impeaching Trump before the holiday break. "Speaker Pelosi was very clear, very direct that her goal was to get this done before Christmas," Murkowski said.

Ultimately, she added, "How we will deal with witnesses remains to be seen."

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On "Special Report," Charlie Hurt also reacted, saying Murkowski's comments wouldn't mean much in the big picture, and that the Democrats will still target her seat during her presumptive reelection bid in 2022.

Hurt called the Alaska lawmaker a GOP "outlier" but predicted her state will vote resoundingly to reelect Trump in 2020.

Fox News' Bret Baier and Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.