John,
For the first time in American history, the Senate just voted to move forward to a verdict in an impeachment trial without calling a single witness or obtaining any new evidence.
This is an appalling dereliction of duty and an embarrassment for our democracy. Multiple senators who acknowledged President Trump’s guilt also voted to move forward without additional evidence or witness testimony, and have indicated that they plan to vote to acquit him.
There was an unbroken precedent of hearing from witnesses in all completed impeachment trials dating back to the founding of our country, and 51 senators voted to break that precedent in favor of defending the most corrupt president in American history. Today these senators failed to uphold their oath to support and defend the Constitution and do impartial justice.
This is a disappointing day, to say the least. But regardless of the outcome of this vote, or the upcoming vote on whether to remove the president from office, we can remind you of some things to feel hopeful about: President Trump has been impeached by the House, which cannot be erased, and here at CREW, we’re not done fighting. We will keep defending our democracy and holding this president accountable, for as long as it takes, even on hard days.
Thank you for standing up for our democracy,
Noah Bookbinder
Executive Director, CREW
