Liberals howl after Democrats gave in to witnesses

Liberals inside and outside the Capitol are on a war footing after Democratic impeachment managers abandoned their efforts to force the testimony of new witnesses at the trial, accusing the former President TrumpDonald TrumpCapitol Police does not cast a vote of confidence in the post-election call of Graham leaders with the Secretary of State for Georgia to be investigated: Trump report told McCarthy that protesters “more upset about the election than you” to incite last month’s attack on Capitol.

Progressive critics say that Democratic prosecutors, by accepting an agreement to exclude those witnesses and end the trial, missed a unique opportunity to highlight Trump’s involvement in the attack, particularly his refusal to neutralize the violence after it started.

They are not measuring words.

“This is setback. White flag. Malpractice. Completely without strategy. They just closed the door on others who may have left, as @HerreraBeutler asked last night,” said Adam Green, who heads the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, at Twitter, referring to the representative Jaime Herrera BeutlerJaime Lynn Herrera BeutlerTrump told McCarthy that protesters ‘are more upset about the election than you are’: report Here are Republican lawmakers censored by Republicans for impeachment Trump Upton becomes the first member of Congress to vote for the impeachment of two presidents MOST (R-Wash.), Who called on Friday for Republicans to present information about Trump’s actions on January 6.

“Just when we thought that the Dems were being bold and strategic. This is taking the weakness out of the jaws of boldness,” he added.

Markos Moulitsas, the liberal activist who founded Daily Kos, was more direct. “Actually, it comes down to this: Hey, Democrats, you fucked up,” he said.

The criticism came after a chaotic day of debate and party fights at the Senate trial, which eventually resulted in Trump’s acquittal.

Democratic prosecutors shocked Washington on Saturday morning when they ruled out an initial plan to close the case and instead forced the Senate to adopt a measure that would allow new witnesses to enter – a strategy that even Senate Democrats said have not been alerted.

“We have social conversations, but we are not talking about strategy. Therefore, we did not know whether they would ask for witnesses or not. We just didn’t do it, ”said the senator. Ben CardinBenjamin (Ben) Louis CardinThe Hill Morning Report – Presented by TikTok – Democrats close the case; Trump verdict this weekend No sign of demand for witnesses at Trump’s trial, Biden to redirect .4 million in aid to Myanmar, sanctions important military figures MORE (D-Md.), Adding that he supported the additional testimony.

“If managers believe that having witnesses helps their presentation, we must allow them to have witnesses,” he added.

Additional testimony was needed, the managers argued, after new details surfaced around Trump’s refusal to intervene when the violent crowd of his supporters invaded the Capitol on January 6, despite calls from the minority leader in the House. Kevin McCarthyKevin McCarthyTrump told McCarthy that protesters “more upset about the election than you”: report Even with the acquittal, the Republican Party sees trial ending Trump’s chance at the future Conservative House Republican office to welcome Clark as chief from the US House MORE (R-Calif.) And other GOP allies to do that.

McCarthy’s urgent plea for Trump’s help was reported last month, but Herrera Beutler provided new details this week, saying Trump has allied himself with protesters about those under attack on Capitol Hill.

“Well, Kevin, I think these people are more upset about the election than you are,” Trump told McCarthy in the middle of the attack, according to Herrera Beutler’s account. This led to impeachment managers, led by Rep. Jamie RaskinJamin (Jamie) Ben RaskinTrump’s lawyers center defense around attacks on Democrats. Democrats reject claims that they distorted the evidence during the impeachment trial. (D-Md.), To request that she testify as part of the trial.

“Needless to say, this is an additional critical piece of corroborative evidence that further confirms the charges before you, as well as the president’s intentional neglect to fulfill his obligations,” said Raskin.

Mayor Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiCapitol police do not cast a vote of confidence in leaders Senate approves bill to award Congressional gold medal to Capitol police officer. We know how Republicans are going to vote – but what do they believe in? MOST (D-Calif.) He had signed the decision, according to a senior Democratic aide.

Still, after a few hours of behind-the-scenes negotiations, the sides made a deal: they would allow Herrera Beutler’s statement to become part of the trial’s official record, but no witnesses would be asked to provide further evidence in the case.

Impeachment managers quickly claimed victory, saying it was a concession that Trump’s defense team would never have made without the threat of bringing in new witnesses.

“Now that the Trump team has agreed to bring this unchallenged statement to the record of the trial, it can be considered by the senators along with the already overwhelming evidence on President Trump’s conduct on January 6, without the need for subpoena, testimony and other testimonials, “said a senior advisor to the impeachment team.

The quick end of the trial means that Democrats can turn their energies to the task of adopting the ambitious legislative President bidenJoe BidenGraham’s post-election call with the Georgia Secretary of State will be investigated: Night Defense report: Pentagon and Congress appoint panel members to rename Confederate bases | Military approves 20 more coronavirus vaccination teams Lawmakers applaud officer Eugene Goodman MORE, starting with a huge COVID-19 stimulus bill.

But the decision to remove new witnesses launched a storm of attacks from the left, while liberals issued bitter notes of disappointment that Democrats no longer fought to win Trump’s conviction.

“The fact that Mark MeadowsMark MeadowsTrump’s mother while the Senate debates her role in inciting the Capitol mob Preview of Sunday’s programs: Budget resolution paves the way for 0.9 trillion stimulus; Senate prepares for impeachment trial In Marjorie Taylor Greene, a glimpse into the future MORE, Donald Trump, Tommy Tuberville and Kevin McCarthy will probably * never * have to swear under oath about the insurrection is an insult to justice and history, “tweeted David Atkins, a liberal activist in California.

“Republicans reportedly conducted a month-long impeachment trial by calling dozens of witnesses,” he added.

Some Democrats on Capitol Hill were also angry. A Democrat familiar with the witness negotiations said that Senate Democrats, led by the majority leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerSenate approves a bill to grant the Capitol Police officer. Congressional gold medal Trump’s lawyers center defense around attacks on Democrats. (NY), were ready to accept any decision by the hesitant impeachment managers on the issue of calling for new depositions – a message that the senators delivered to the City’s prosecutors.

Still, after the Senate voted to allow these new witnesses, the source said, the managers were wrong in the next steps.

“After the vote, it became clear that the administrators had no plans,” said the Democratic source. “Senate Democrats gave them the votes, but administrators didn’t know what the next step would be.”

Tensions may not matter in the long run. The final vote on Trump’s fate featured seven Republican senators who crossed the corridor to condemn the former president, marking the most bipartisan sentencing vote in the country’s history.

This provided Democrats with a powerful point of discussion towards the 2022 cycle, when both chambers are in dispute. And many Democratic senators noted that the Republican Party’s opposition to Trump’s condemnation was so ingrained that new witnesses would never have changed the verdict.

“I don’t think anything would have made a difference to the people on the other side,” Senator. Raphael WarnockRaphael WarnockOssoff pressures Biden’s budget candidate on funding for Georgia’s HBCU GOP seeks to tighten voting rules after a wave of Democratic center losses pose a major problem for progressives MORE (D-Ga.) Said after Trump’s acquittal.

Immediately after the vote, however, the Democratic liberal base is making sure to send party leaders an unmistakable message that they expect more to fight in the debates to come.

“Only Democrats can undoubtedly win a vote and then give in,” said Green.

Jordain Carney contributed.