Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 11:54 am
Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) of the House Judiciary Committee appeared to break with Donald Trump on Monday, saying he would like to see Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, testify in the upcoming Senate impeachment trial.
During an interview with MSNBC’s Ari Melber, Rep. Johnson said he’s “not opposed” to hearing from Mulvaney, Giuliani and Sondland.
“I’m for all of it,” he said. “If you’re going to have a trial, let’s have all the witnesses.”
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Video:
“I’m not opposed to that,” GOP @RepMikeJohnson says when asked if he would want Mick Mulvaney and Rudy Giuliani to testify in the Senate impeachment trial. #ctl #p2 pic.twitter.com/9A8zazn1O9
— PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) December 17, 2019
Rep. Johnson said:
Look, I’m not opposed to that. … I’m for all of it. If you’re going to have a trial, let’s have all the witnesses. I don’t think the president is afraid of that at all. But the ultimate concern, and this is what the ultimate answer is as well, the founders warned us against a single party impeachment because they thought it would rip the country apart. They were afraid that it would divide the people and that’s what we’re seeing right now, let’s be honest. If we drag the trial out and everybody already assumes the outcome is decided going in, does that behoove the country? Does it behoove us to bring Hunter and Joe Biden in for questioning? I’d like to hear what they have to say. … It’s ultimately up to the Senate on the length of the trial and the witnesses they come to. I’m saying there is no fear of that because I don’t think Mr. Mulvaney or anybody has anything to hide.
McConnell’s sham trial is already facing bipartisan pushback
Ever since Mitch McConnell admitted to Sean Hannity that he basically plans to run a sham trial in the Senate, the majority leader has faced bipartisan pushback.
It’s not just Republicans like Rep. Johnson calling for a trial with “all the witnesses,” which Trump and McConnell apparently don’t want, but even Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) – a key vote in the upcoming trial – is trying to put distance between herself and the Senate majority leader.
Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell are trying to run the very same rigged impeachment process they falsely accused Democrats of conducting in the House. So far, those efforts appear to be dead on arrival as members of both parties have already expressed opposition to the idea.
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Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.