U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., warned U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., Saturday to consider her testimony if called as a witness in former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial.
Following the Senate’s 55-45 vote that morning to consider witnesses appear for the trial, Greene told Herrera Beutler in a Saturday tweet that Trump’s supporters would be watching if she were called to testify.
However, the Senate reached a deal to skip witness testimony, allowing the trial to proceed with closing arguments Saturday afternoon. Both sides of the chamber ultimately reached a deal to instead enter into the record Herrera Beutler’s statement.
On Twitter Friday, Herrera Beutler said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told her last month of a conversation he had with Trump on Jan. 6, asking to him make a public statement to call off the riot at the Capitol. According to Herrera Beutler’s tweet, Trump denied it was his supporters who were storming the Capitol before finally saying, “Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.”
Greene commented on Twitter Saturday that Herrera Beutler’s comments were “the gift that keeps on giving to the Democrats.”
She added, “The Trump loyal 75 million are watching,” referring to the 74.2 million people who voted for Trump in his loss in the presidential election.
A call for civility as emotions run high
Laughter broke out in the Senate chamber over Trump impeachment lawyer Michael van der Veen’s comment that if Democrats wish to call a witness, he will ask for at least 100 witnesses and will insist they give depositions in person in his office in Philadelphia.
The reaction visibly angered van der Veen. “I haven’t laughed at any of you, and there’s nothing laughable here,” he said.
The trial’s presiding officer, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., reminded everyone to observe the chamber’s rules of decorum.
A few moments later, van der Veen accused Democrats of cutting a “back-room deal” and went on to question their integrity. “They have completely violated and ignored and stepped on the Constitution of the United States,” he said. “They have trampled on it like people who have no respect for it.”
At that point, Leahy leaned into the microphone and said, “All parties in this chamber must refrain from using language that is not conducive to civil discourse.”
Biden spends weekend at Camp David
President Joe Biden was spending the weekend at Camp David as the impeachment trial wrapped up. Now with the trial over, Biden wants the focus to return to his legislative priorities and efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Aides have scheduled a televised town hall in Wisconsin on Wednesday, followed by a trip to Michigan on Thursday to tour a vaccine-production facility.
White House officials said Biden’s plans for Saturday included a meeting with his national security team.
