McCarthy declares Trump will be ‘acquitted for life’ ahead of impeachment verdict

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Kevin McCarthy reacts to Nancy Pelosi ripping up copy of SOTU address

The top Republican in the House Wednesday touted the Senate’s expected impeachment acquittal as eternal vindication for President Trump.

“Today the president will be acquitted for life,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy at the Capitol in advance of the expected not guilty verdict on two articles of impeachment.

McCarthy, R-Calif., depicted the power of such a verdict as a direct counter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has repeatedly gloated that Trump will be impeached "forever."

PELOSI GLOATS: TRUMP HAS BEEN IMPEACHED ‘FOREVER’

As the acquittal seemed inevitable, top Democratic leaders in the House and Senate have argued Trump can never erase the stain of impeachment because the trial wasn’t legitimate.

"The president's acquittal will be meaningless," Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., declared Friday, "because it will be the result of a sham trial."

McCarthy said Democrats have squandered their power on being obsessed with Trump instead of working on behalf of the American people.

“I hope the Democrats will finally end their desire to impeach this president,” McCarthy said. “I know it’s been what they craved the majority for and what they wasted their majority on.”

But earlier Wednesday, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler signaled Democrats aren’t letting off the gas anytime soon.

DEM LEADERS SIGNAL THEY WON’T ACCEPT TRUMP ACQUITTAL AS LEGITIMATE

Nadler said the House will seek to subpoena former National Security Adviser John Bolton to testify about what he knew about Trump’s pressure campaign on Ukraine in exchange for investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden. The Senate declined to call him, despite his willingness to testify.

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“We always knew he [Trump] was going to be acquitted by the Senate,” said Nadler, D-N.Y. “Because we always knew that the Republicans didn't care about the evidence or anything else. They proved it by not being willing to see the witnesses.”

Fox News' Caroline McKee contributed to this report.