Impeachment
This is the official Senate photograph of Senators taking the oath at the start of the Senate impeachment trial on January 16, 2020. My desk is in the top section of this photo, the last row, fourth from the end. Monday we heard closing arguments. I voted no on the question of calling additional witnesses Friday. To use the House managers own argument on witnesses: The American people deserve a fair
impeachment.
Unfortunately, the House did not deliver a fair impeachment to the Senate. Instead, contrary to the warnings of Speaker Pelosi, Senate Democrat Leader Schumer and Chairman Nadler, the House provided a totally partisan impeachment rushed, violating due process and lacking any impeachable offense. Now, House Democrats are demanding the Senate do their investigatory work for them. Caving to their demands would have set a dangerous precedent and dramatically altered the constitutional order, thereby weaponizing impeachment and encouraging more of them. That is why I voted no on the question of calling witnesses. Before closing arguments, the Senate has already:
Impeachment Questions
During Thursday's question and answer session, I was joined by several other Senators in posing a question to House impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff, but he refused to answer. Watch the video here. Here's the question: Recent reporting described two N.S.C. staff holdovers from the Obama Administration attending an all-hands meeting of N.S.C. staff held about two weeks into the Trump Administration and talking loudly enough to be overheard saying, 'we need to do everything we can to take out the president.' On July 26, 2019, the House Intelligence Committee hired one of those individuals, Sean Misko. The report further describes relationships between Misko, Lieutenant Colonel Vindman, and an individual alleged as the whistle-blower. Why did your committee hire Sean Misko the day after the phone call between President Trump and Zelensky and what role has he played throughout your Committee's investigation? Another Question
On the first day of questioning by Senators, I asked this question of the President's counsel. Watch the video here. If House managers were certain it would take months to litigate a subpoena for John Bolton, why shouldn't the Senate assume lengthy litigation and make the same decision as the House made and reject a subpoena for John Bolton. Addressing Our Unsustainable Fiscal Path
The work of the Senate continued this week in spite of the impeachment proceedings. As Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I held a hearing last Tuesday examining the root causes of America's unsustainable fiscal path. In 2010, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen warned that the most significant threat to U.S. national security is our national debt. I agree. As we begin this new decade, Congress and the administration simply cannot continue to ignore the national and economic security threats caused by growing debt and deficits. Since Admiral Mullen's warning, America's fiscal situation has only worsened. Without significant reforms, the programs that many Americans depend on - and have planned their retirements around - will experience severe financial shortfalls. Learn more here. Social Media Highlights
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