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Republican Senator Bill Cassidy on Sunday compared the impeachment trial against former President Trump to a Soviet “show trial” – but said he would keep an open mind during the Senate trial this week.
“There was no process. If this had happened in the Soviet Union, you would have called it a show trial, ”the Louisiana senator told NBC’s“ Meet the Press ”show.
The Louisiana Republican said the House vote to impeach Trump for the second time for “inciting insurgency” was not a process worthy of American democracy. Cassidy and 44 other Republicans voted to dismiss the upcoming trial on constitutional grounds.
“He was called two hours before, there was no debate or explanation from either side. It was a time-based vote, ”Cassidy said.
“Let’s face it, the House did an incredibly poor job building the case before the impeachment vote. The president wasn’t there, he wasn’t allowed to be a lawyer, they didn’t amass any evidence, in five hours they sort of tried and boom he’s impeached.
When asked if his vote on Tuesday’s Senate trial would be predetermined, Cassidy said he would review the evidence.
“No I do not know. I think it depends on what is presented, ”he told host Chuck Todd. “We will now have, hopefully, presentations from both sides and we will consider the evidence as impartial jurors.”
Democrats say then President Trump is to blame for the violence on Capitol Hill on January 6. If the Senate condemns him – a result that would require a two-thirds vote – Trump could be prevented from returning to office.
Trump’s lawyers have argued that he cannot be arraigned because he is no longer in office.
The Senate trial is scheduled to begin on Tuesday.
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