President Trump claimed Democrats missed their window to call further witnesses for impeachment when they rushed the process in the House.
House Democrats, under the leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, opted not to wait for the court to weigh in on who should be mandated to comply with congressional subpoenas for testimony. Pelosi argued that Trump’s impeachment needed to be urgent because his behavior threatened the 2020 elections.
After the House passed the two articles, however, Pelosi delayed transferring the process to the Senate for nearly a month while demanding Democrats be able to influence the process. The articles were transferred last week, but it is not yet clear if further witnesses, such as Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton, will be called to supplement the House testimony.
On Monday, Trump tweeted that Senate Democrats shouldn’t be allowed to call more witnesses.
“They didn’t want John Bolton and others in the House. They were in too much of a rush. Now they want them all in the Senate. Not supposed to be that way!” he wrote.
Trump added: “Cryin’ Chuck Schumer is now asking for ‘fairness’, when he and the Democrat House members worked together to make sure I got ZERO fairness in the House. So, what else is new?”
They didn’t want John Bolton and others in the House. They were in too much of a rush. Now they want them all in the Senate. Not supposed to be that way!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2020
Cryin’ Chuck Schumer is now asking for “fairness”, when he and the Democrat House members worked together to make sure I got ZERO fairness in the House. So, what else is new?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2020
Trump singled out Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his Democratic colleagues, but some Republican Senators have shown interest in hearing from additional witnesses. Maine Sen. Susan Collins and a “small group” of Republicans have been working to get the votes to hear testimony from other witnesses while Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell tries to usher through an expedited impeachment trial.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday that the Republicans “do not have the votes” to dismiss impeachment outright. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz predicted that the impeachment trial could last eight weeks “or longer” if additional witnesses are called to testify.
