Republican Senator Bill Cassidy on Sunday compared the impeachment trial against former President Trump to a Soviet “show trial” – but said he will keep an open mind during the Senate trial this week.
“There was no process. If it had happened in the Soviet Union, you would have called it a show trial, ”said the Louisiana senator on NBC’s“ Meet the Press ”program.
The Louisiana Republican said the House’s vote to impeach Trump for the second time for “inciting insurrection” was not a process worthy of US democracy. Cassidy and 44 other Republicans voted to reject the next trial on constitutional grounds.
“It was called two hours earlier, there was no debate or explanation from either side. It was a vote based on a moment of time, ”said Cassidy.
“Let’s face it, the Chamber did an incredibly bad job of building the case before the impeachment vote. The president was not there, he had no right to a lawyer, they did not gather evidence, in five hours they sort of tried and boom he was impeached. “
When asked whether his vote on the Senate trial on Tuesday will be predetermined, Cassidy said he will review the evidence.
“No not me. I think it depends on what is presented, ”he told presenter Chuck Todd. “We hope that we will now have presentations from both sides and will consider the evidence as impartial judges.”
Democrats say then-President Trump is to blame for the Capitol violence on Jan. 6. If the Senate condemns him – a result that would require a two-thirds vote – Trump could be prevented from taking office again.
Trump’s lawyers have argued that he cannot be charged because he is no longer in office.
The Senate trial is scheduled to begin on Tuesday.