U.S. Republican Senator Graham seeks quick impeachment trial without new witnesses
Record ID:
1449010
U.S. Republican Senator Graham seeks quick impeachment trial without new witnesses
- Title: U.S. Republican Senator Graham seeks quick impeachment trial without new witnesses
- Date: 18th December 2019
- Summary: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** WIDE OF REPUBLICAN SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM GIVING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPUBLICAN SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, SAYING: "So I think this exercise in the House is beginning to weaponize impeachment. The Intel Committee conducted the fact-finding elements of it, which is unusual. The process they use, I think, is dangerous to the presidency as an institution. When it gets here, my goal is to have a shorter trial as possible." WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPUBLICAN SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, SAYING: "I am not going to support witnesses being called for by the president. I'm not going to support witnesses being called for by Senator Schumer. We're going to vote on the same product the House used with my vote. And I think most senators on our side are ready to move forward at an appropriate time. We'll listen to the House case, allow the president to make comments through his legal team, then we'll vote and sooner the better for me." (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPUBLICAN SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, SAYING: "Right. I've made up my mind about the accusations. I've seen the transcript. I understand the basic tenets of what Sunderland's saying, is hearsay upon hearsay. I've never believed this was an impeachable offense. I've got no problem with the phone call. The guy ran on corruption and there's been questions for a long time about why the guy was fired." (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPUBLICAN SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, SAYING: "And I talked to him today. I said, how you doing? Well, I'm being impeached. Other than that, I'm doing OK." (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPUBLICAN SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, SAYING: "From the time he took office to now it's just been unending, and he's a handful and, you know, part of his problems are self-driven. But I do have some sympathy for his family and for the president as a person. That comes from getting to know him. But I think he's tough enough to withstand this and do right by the country. I can't believe he's been able to get through all this still standing. Most people would, I think maybe quit a long time ago. So, anyway, I'm optimistic." WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPUBLICAN SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, SAYING: "And the one thing I told my colleagues: Anything you do to us, we can do to you. We have some people on our side just as crazy as people on their side." (SOUNDBITE) (English) REPUBLICAN SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM, SAYING: "Yeah, a motion to dismiss will not stand. I think a motion to dismiss is probably not going to be in order. I think it will be required to listen to the House's case based on the record assembled to impeach. That there will come a point when the House has had a fair chance to make their case, the president's had a chance to respond without witnesses on either side. Then we'll move to final passage. I don't want a motion to dismiss. I want a vote on the articles themselves. GRAHAM EXITING
- Embargoed: 1st January 2020 19:48
- Keywords: Democrats Impeachment vote Lindsey Graham Republicans Senate trial Trump impeachment U.S. House of Representatives
- Location: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA001BAI85L3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Republican chairman of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee said on Wednesday (December 18) he would want any impeachment trial in the Senate to be quick and without new witnesses.
"When it gets here, my goal is to have as short a trial as possible," Senator Lindsey Graham told reporters. "I am not going to support witnesses being called for by the president. I am not going to support witnesses being called for by (Democratic leader) Senator Schumer."
The House of Representatives began debate on Wednesday on two charges against President Donald Trump accusing him of abusing his power and obstructing Congress that would make him only the third U.S. president to be impeached.
Graham told reporters that the process in the House was beginning to "weaponize" the use of impeachment for partisan purposes.
The votes in the Democratic-controlled House are expected to fall almost entirely along party lines, underscoring the deep divide in Congress over the Republican president's conduct and the larger political schism within the United States.
(Production: Gershon Peaks, Ashraf Fahim) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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