Former acting attorney general Matthew Whitaker argued on Monday that former President Trump’s impeachment is “cheapening” the impeachment pattern.
Whitaker commented on “The Faulkner Focus”, adding that it is also “distracting Congress now from what they should be concerned about, how to stop the violent crime epidemic in our main cities, doing more for the COVID-19 challenges we face and also so many other things that the people of America want Congress to work for them. ”
Whitaker made the remarks the day before the Senate started an impeachment trial against Trump the second time after the House voted to impeach the former president last month.
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The House voted to impeach Trump with 232 votes to 197 on the charge of inciting an insurrection, with 10 Republicans joining all Democrats. It would take 17 Republicans joining all 50 Senate Democrats to condemn Trump for the impeachment article, a highly unlikely outcome.
Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Senator Chris Murphy, DC, argued that Trump’s impeachment trial “does not stop” the rest of the Senate business, contrary to Whitaker’s point. Murphy emphasized on Sunday that “the Senate can walk and chew gum at the same time.”
Host Harris Faulkner asked Whitaker about witnesses to the impeachment and how long he expects the trial to last.
“Democrats will quickly realize that this is a defeat for them and will want to end this as soon as they start,” said Whitaker.
He went on to say that “The House should have heard the evidence” and “should have received witnesses”.
“Everything that is being presented to the Senate on trial should … have already been considered and part of the House record,” added Whitaker. “It does not exist because it was a hasty impeachment and then the Senate will decide quickly, probably already tomorrow, whether or not they will receive witnesses.”
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He added that if the Senate decides that it will not use witnesses, “it will be a very short process”.
Fox News’ Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.