Senate Democrat: Pelosi ‘doing exactly the right thing’ withholding articles of impeachment

Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) defended Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) decision to not send the House-passed articles of impeachment to the Senate until parameters of a trial in the upper chamber are agreed upon. 

“Speaker Pelosi is doing exactly the right thing,” Van Hollen said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “She is focusing a spotlight on the need to have a fair trial in the United States Senate.” 

“And it’s especially necessary when you have Mitch McConnell, Sen. McConnell, who you quoted earlier, saying publicly that he is not going to be an impartial juror, even though that’s what the oath will require, that he’s going to work in lockstep with the president, who is the defendant in this case, and that he’s already said no to calling fact witnesses that have direct knowledge of what’s at stake in this impeachment,” he added, referring to the Senate Republican leader. 

.@ChrisVanHollen says Speaker Pelosi is doing “exactly the right thing” by holding articles of #impeachment to influence how an impeachment trial will be handled in the Senate. pic.twitter.com/epQUWvUwOc

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) December 22, 2019

Democrats have been pushing for witnesses to be called during the Senate impeachment trial, but Republicans have pushed back. 

“What’s a trial without each side being able to call their witnesses?” Van Hollen asked. 

“If it was such a ‘perfect’ phone call, then send on Mick Mulvaney down to talk about that phone call. Send John Bolton, what are they afraid of?” he added, referring to the acting White House chief of staff and former national security adviser. {mosads}

The House voted last week largely along party lines in favor of two articles of impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — over President Trump’s request during a phone call with Ukraine’s leader for  investigations that could help him politically. 

Pelosi has yet to confirm when she will send the articles to the upper chamber, as McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) look to reach a deal on the parameters of the process. 

Democrats have railed against McConnell for saying that he will work in “total coordination” with the White House during the trial.