Sen. Lindsey Graham on impeachment delay: Nancy Pelosi has buyer's remorse
Democrats are denying President Trump his day in court because 'they know their case sucks,' says South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., announced Thursday afternoon that there will be no more House votes until Jan. 7, prompting cheers from his Democratic colleagues in the chamber.
The announcement is confirmation that the House will not approve impeachment managers or send the two articles of impeachment to the Senate until the beginning of the new year.
The decision has drawn the ire of Republicans, who control the Senate where the trial against Trump -- which includes charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress -- will occur.
MCCARTHY MOCKS PELOSI FOR SHOOTING DOWN IMPEACHMENT QUESTIONS FROM REPORTERS
"It’s beyond me how the Speaker and Democratic Leader in the Senate think withholding the articles of impeachment and not sending them over gives them leverage," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters on Thursday. "Frankly, I’m not anxious to have the trial… If she [House Speaker Nancy Pelosi] thinks her case is so weak she doesn’t want to send it over, throw me into that briar patch."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., met with McConnell Thursday afternoon and told him that Democrats would like to introduce new witnesses and documents in the next phase of the impeachment process.
“Sen. Schumer asked Sen. McConnell to consider Sen. Schumer’s proposal over the holidays because Sen. Schumer and his caucus believe the witnesses and documents are essential to a fair Senate trial,” Justin Goodman, a spokesman for Schumer, said in a statement.
MCCONNELL: 'IMPASSE' OVER TRUMP IMPEACHMENT TRIAL, DEMS HAVE 'COLD FEET'
McConnell, in a statement, called the conversation between him and Schumer "cordial" but said that the two parties remain at an "impasse," accusing Schumer of continuing to "demand a new and different set of rules" for the trial.
Pelosi sent a letter to House Democrats late Thursday calling the previous days' vote "an important day for the Constitution of the United States and a somber day for America."
She also thanked her caucus “for the outstanding moral courage that has been demonstrated, not only yesterday but every day of this prayerful process.”
“We have defended democracy for the people: honoring the vision of our founders for a Republic, the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform to defend it, and the aspirations of our children to live freely within it,” she said.
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Signaling unity within her party, Pelosi went on to quote the St. Crispin’s Day Speech, from Shakespeare's "Henry V," best known for using the terminology “band of brothers.”
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother," the quote said in part.
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