Response to all the comments below that the Dems “caved”:
The House managers really only wanted one witness: Herrera-Beutler, who could testify what Trump told McCarthy — VERY damaging testimony. Herrera-Beutler’s report on that was entered into the record and Trump’s lawyers stipulated to it. That’s what they wanted and that’s what they got.
Anything else was actually risky. You can never be sure what a witness will say when they get on the stand, particularly when there has been no time to vet them, no time to prepare, and especially in a case like where there will be huge pressure brought to bear to threaten them (Greene already did), to get them to lie or to recant or to fudge. This way, they got a statement that said just what they wanted to hear, and they got it without challenge.
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The WaPo is reporting that the Senate will call wtinesses:
The Senate voted Saturday to call witnesses in Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, in a surprise move that comes one day after a Republican congresswoman’s account of the former president’s actions on Jan. 6 received national attention.
Lead impeachment manager Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said Saturday that he wanted to subpoena Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.).
Beutler will be able to confirm that call from McCarthy to Trump where Trump made it explicit that he was on the side of the insurrection and wouldn’t do anything to stop it.
In her statement Friday night, Beutler said that when McCarthy “finally reached the president on Jan. 6 and asked him to publicly and forcefully call off the riot, the president initially repeated the falsehood that it was antifa that had breached the Capitol.”
“McCarthy refuted that and told the president that these were Trump supporters. That’s when, according to McCarthy, the president said, ‘Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are,’” Beutler said.
It seems the House managers initially decided against calling witnesses. If they changed their mind, it would partly be because of Beutler’s statement last night.
“Last night this was breaking news,” Raskin said.
Now here is an interesting twist:
Five Republicans joined Democrats in voting in favor: Sens. Mitt Romney (Utah), Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Ben Sasse (Neb.) and Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.), who initially voted “no” but later switched to “yes.”
Graham had previously warned against calling witnesses, saying the defense would call plenty of their own and it would be embarrassing.
“There’s mounting evidence that the people came to Washington preplanned the attack before the president ever spoke,” Graham said. He added: “If you open up that can of worms, we’ll want the FBI to come in and tell us about how people preplanned this attack and what happened with the security footprint of the Capitol. You open up Pandora’s box if you call one witness.”
Graham’s line of argument strikes me as wishful thinking, given that the FBI is accumulating more and more evidence that Trump was involved in the planning. If he thinks the FBI will indict Antifa, he is even more deluded than usual (which is saying something).
Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 4:52:10 PM +00:00 · Dan K
Another tidbit, buried in a NY Times story: Schoen almost quit and Trump had to talk him out of it:
In another reminder of his ad hoc approach, Mr. Trump asked associates on Thursday night whether it was too late to add or remove lawyers from the team, as Mr. Schoen briefly told the team he was quitting over a debate about how to use the video clips the defense showed on Friday. Mr. Trump called Mr. Schoen and he agreed to rejoin the team, two people briefed on the events said.
(Political Wire picked this up this morning.)
Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 5:11:03 PM +00:00 · Dan K
A few more tidbits from WaPo:
Trump’s team is not happy about the decision to call witnesses, according to one person close to the legal team, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.
Like many, Trump’s lawyers had anticipated the trial would wrap up Saturday and already had flights booked home, the person said.
Somehow I don’t think a lost flight is their main reason for unhappiness.
Guiliani, who could be a witness, was his usual obnoxious self:
At least one person in Trump’s orbit did not seem too concerned about witnesses Saturday. In an apparent accidental phone call to a reporter, Rudolph W. Giuliani, the former president’s personal lawyer, could be heard ordering an omelet and a black coffee and telling someone, “Yeah, we’re playing today and Andrew is gonna join us on the course,” presumably referring to a golf game.
And it’s becoming clearer that Beutler’s confirmation statement Friday night was a game changer:
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) told reporters that he believes the move to call witnesses “is very much in order,” pointing to Beutler’s revelation about Trump’s remarks to McCarthy, which received national attention for the first time Friday night.
Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 5:14:30 PM +00:00 · Dan K
AP reports today the Herrera Beutler — who voted for impeachment — is urging others to talk:
Herrera Beutler urges ‘patriots’ to talk about Trump call
She then called on people with knowledge of Trump’s conversation with McCarthy to speak out.
“And to the patriots who were standing next to the former president as these conversations were happening, or even to the former vice president: if you have something to add here, now would be the time,” she said.
I get the feeling she will not be a reluctant witness. This is yuge.
Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 5:48:50 PM +00:00 · Dan K
Well, this didn’t take long:
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) threatened Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) Saturday after the Senate voted 55-45 to call witnesses, telling her that loyal Trump voters “are watching.” Herrera Beutler may be subpoenaed as a witness soon in Trump’s second impeachment trial. . . .
“First voting to impeach innocent President Trump, then yapping to the press and throwing @GOPLeader under the bus, and now a tool as a witness for the Democrats running the circus trial,” Greene tweeted. “The Trump loyal 75 million are watching.”
This is all the more reason to keep Greene from bringing a gun to the House floor. Indeed, it’s reason to take her guns away. More, threatening a fellow Congressperson ought to be grounds for expulsion.
GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.), who also voted for Trump’s impeachment, fired back at Greene in defense of Herrera Beutler.
“She has about 40 times the honor of you,” Kinzinger tweeted. “Maybe you’re more famous though, which is all you want. Also ‘yapping to the press’ is telling truth, something you should try to your loyal Q base.”
Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 5:59:54 PM +00:00 · Dan K
Senate decided to enter Beutler’s statement into the record. They have started closing arguments:
The Senate reached a deal to enter Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler’s (R-WA) statement into the record of former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial in lieu of calling witnesses.
There are also reports that the Democratic senators weren’t expecting the House to ask for witnesses. Not surprising since the managers were up much of the night discussing it.