Sen. Joni Ernst said the chamber’s Republicans are wondering when the House impeachment managers will get around to presenting the “overwhelming evidence” they promised.
Ms. Ernst, an Iowa Republican up for reelection this year, said the impeachment trial against President Trump so far has been “a lot of the same.”
The senators, who are the jury for the impeachment trial, often chat during their breaks and many feel they aren’t hearing any new information after hearing roughly 15 hours of arguments by the House Democrats who are serving as prosecutors.
“It’s like it is on repeat. I keep hearing the same message coming from the House members and I am still waiting to hear their overwhelming evidence,” said Ms. Ernst.
Sen. Tim Scott, South Carolina Republican, agreed.
“I’m looking for a bombshell, I just haven’t heard it,” he said.
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Mr. Trump is on trial for two articles of impeachment, abuse of power for asking Ukraine to investigate political rival former Vice President Joseph R. Biden and obstruction of Congress for not cooperating with the House impeachment inquiry.
Ms. Ernst went on to tell reporters the House managers keep showing the same clips during their presentation, suggesting senators are ready to see something fresh.
“We are getting the same little clips over and over and over again. One clip — you will see it three times, maybe we will see it five more times today. It’s not really changing our opinion,” she told The Washington Times.
Rep. Adam Schiff, California Democrat and one of the House impeachment managers, has worked video clips of the president during press conferences and some sound bites from witnesses that appeared at House hearings, which were televised for the public last year, into his arguments as he tries to convince the upper chamber that the president abused his power and obstructed Congress.
The impeachment charges stem from a July 25 phone call where President Trump requested the Ukrainian president look into conduct linked to a political rival, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden.
Democrats argue the president’s administration withheld military aid to Ukraine in exchange for the investigation.
An investigation was never announced by Ukrainian officials, but the aid was released in September.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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