Published on
Saturday, February 13, 2021
byCommon Dreams
'A Complete Capitulation': Outrage as Democrats Abruptly Back Off Push for
Witnesses in Trump Trial
"This is retreat. White flag. Malpractice. Completely unstrategic."
byJake Johnson, staff writer
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) talks with reporters at the
end of the third day of former President Donald Trump's second impeachment
trial at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. (Photo:
Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
Shortly after the Senate voted to pave the way for witnesses in Donald
Trump's impeachment trial, Democratic lawmakers and the former president's
defense team on Saturday reached a deal to merely enter a statement by
Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler into evidence instead of having her
testify under oath on her knowledge of a call between Trump and House
Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
The agreement effectively slammed the door on the possibility of witnesses
in the trial and likely means a final vote on the impeachment charge could
come later Saturday. After the deal was announced on the Senate floor,
Democratic managers moved to their closing arguments.
The abrupt change of course by Democrats was met with outrage by progressive
observers and analysts who viewed Herrera Beutler's potential testimony-and
that of others who may have been compelled to come forward-as an opportunity
to uncover additional information about Trump's conduct on the day of the
deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol last month.
"Even if you're convinced no testimony will change the minds of 40
Republicans-and I think that's a fair assumption-leaving witnesses on the
table is an incredible mistake," tweeted HuffPost's Matt Fuller. "After
impeachment managers presented a fantastic case, the decision to fold is
what will be remembered."
In the statement that was entered into the record, Herrera Beutler-one of
the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump last month-said that
"when McCarthy finally reached the president on January 6 and asked him to
publicly and forcefully call off the riot, the president initially repeated
the falsehood that it was antifa that had breached the Capitol."
"McCarthy refuted that and told the president that these were Trump
supporters," Herrera Beutler said. "That's when, according to McCarthy, the
president said, 'Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the
election than you are.'"
Judd Legum of Popular Information argued that because Herrera Beutler's
statement had already been released to the public, the agreement to enter it
into evidence is "objectively the same as a complete capitulation on
witnesses and the Democrats should just own up to that."
"This is retreat. White flag. Malpractice. Completely unstrategic," added
Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC).
"They just closed the door on others who may have stepped out, as Herrera
Beutler urged last night. Just when we thought Dems were being bold and
strategic. This is grabbing lameness out of the jaws of boldness."
It was not immediately clear why Democrats decided at the last minute to
back off their push for witnesses, but Democratic senators were reportedly
"blindsided" by Rep. Jamie Raskin's (D-Md.) announcement Saturday morning
that he planned to seek a subpoena for Herrera Beutler's testimony. Trump's
defense team countered Raskin by threatening to call hundreds of witnesses,
which potentially could have dragged out the trial for days as the Senate
would have had to vote on each request.
According to CNN, Senate Democratic leaders pressured House impeachment
managers behind closed doors to drop the call for witness testimony:
After a brief recess just before noon on Saturday-a break that came shortly
after the Senate opened the door to witnesses with a 55-45 vote-Trump's
lawyers returned to the Senate chamber and announced that they reached an
agreement with Democratic lawmakers to enter Herrera Beutler's statement
into evidence instead of calling her to testify.
"Donald John Trump by his counsel is prepared to stipulate that if Rep.
Herrera Beutler were to testify under oath as part of these proceedings her
testimony would be consistent with the statement she issued on February 12,
2021, and the former president's counsel is agreeable to the admission of
that public statement into evidence at this time," Bruce Castor, one of
Trump's lawyers, said on the Senate floor.
Raskin, the lead House impeachment manager, then delivered brief remarks
accepting the deal and proceeded to read Herrera Beutler's statement aloud
in full.
Politico reported that "during the Senate break after the witness vote
Saturday, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) twice came into the managers' room off
the Senate floor" and "pressed House Democrats to relent, saying their quest
for witnesses would cost them Republican votes to convict and maybe even
some Democrats."
"The jury is ready to vote," Coons told the impeachment managers, according
to Politico. "People want to get home for Valentine's Day."
Citing an unnamed source close to the former president's team, CNN's Jim
Acosta reported that Trump "is pleased there won't be witnesses at the
trial."
"The source added that the legal team views the Democrats' decision to not
call witnesses as a clear victory," Acosta tweeted.
Jeff Hauser, director of the Revolving Door Project, said he's "livid" at
Democratic leaders for caving on witnesses and rejected the argument that a
longer trial would endanger coronavirus relief efforts.
"They're going on recess next week," Hauser said of senators. "The
Democratic leadership is spreading the claim that it's relief vs.
accountability. They are lying. Learned helplessness being justified by a
knowably false choice."