Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner promised to be impartial as he participates in the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump.
Gardner, 45, told Steve Staeger from 9 News that he takes the impeachment oath, which requires members to be impartial during the trial, seriously. He explained, “I take my impartiality duty seriously.”
Staeger pushed back and questioned how Gardner could be impartial if he plans to campaign with Trump and has held fundraisers for him in the past. Gardner replied: “That’s our constitutional duty and the oath that we all took. There are people running for president against President Trump in the Senate, so we have a duty to be impartial.”
@SteveStaeger met their flight at DIA to ask Sen. Cory Gardner in person if he supports including witnesses in the trial, impartiality, and the new digital ad against him (Marshall was still stuck on the plane).
You can watch the full exchange here: pic.twitter.com/dm5OIhAcXM
— Next with Kyle Clark (@nexton9news) January 17, 2020
The reporter highlighted the Government Accountability Office’s report on Thursday, which stated that Trump broke the law by withholding aid from Ukraine. When asked about the development, Gardner responded, “We’re going to have a trial, and I’m sure that will be part of the discussion.”
Other leading Republicans have a different view on impartiality. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham have both said they have no intention of being impartial after the process they witnessed in the House. Several Democrats, including the four senators running for president, have all openly supported impeachment for months.
Gardner also reacted to an advertisement that was released by the Lincoln Project, a PAC operated by anti-Trump conservatives such as George Conway, which called him a “Trump servant” and a “weak, frightened, impotent, small man terrified of a political bully.”
The senator reacted to the advertisement, saying: “I’ve been called worse by better people. People are going to play politics. They’re going to be partisan, and it’s my job to do the work for the people of Colorado.”
Gardner faces a tough reelection bid in Colorado as he faces off against his likely Democratic challenger, former presidential candidate John Hickenlooper. Cook Political Reports listed Gardner’s seat as a “toss-up” in 2020.
