Josh Hawley defends himself after critics slammed him for ‘ignoring’ gallery impeachment trial

Republican Senator from Missouri, Josh Hawley, has defended himself after being criticized for allegedly ignoring former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial by propping his legs up in the Senate gallery and reviewing paperwork.

Criticism was particularly focused on the fact that Hawley was the first Republican senator to pledge to oppose Congressional certification on Jan. 6 of President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral college victory. His vote appeared to support Trump’s repeatedly denied claim that the election was “stolen” by widespread electoral fraud.

However, Hawley said he chose to sit in the podium because it was less “claustrophobic” than the crowded Senate floor and because it gave him a better view of impeachment officials. “I have the trial briefs with me and I also have my notes that I take during the – during the proceedings,” Hawley told reporters, explaining his reading of the documents during the trial.

“Republican Senator Josh Hawley – who opposed Biden’s victory and encouraged the attack on Capitol Hill – is currently seated with his feet in the Senate gallery. Not once has he paid attention to the trial of impeachment, “national political reporter Hugo Lowell wrote on Twitter. before Hawley’s comments explaining his behavior.

“Republican Josh Hawley is ignoring the lawsuit by reading stuff that has nothing to do with impeachment … even sitting with his legs in the seat in front of him. If that gets you kicked out of biology class, why not? won’t get him kicked out of the Senate? ”writer Chip Franklin wrote.

“Josh Hawley is sitting in the gallery, not on the floor, ‘continuing to read newspapers in unmarked manila folders. They looked like the files he had at his desk on Tuesday, but of course his presence in the gallery meant reporters in the gallery. couldn’t see “in them,” wrote NBC News correspondent Mike Memoli.

Hawley said Democrats are presenting their case in a “very understandable and easy to follow manner. But he added: ‘I don’t think that will change your mind. In my opinion, we have no jurisdiction, ”wrote Manu Raju, CNN’s chief congressional correspondent.

“It should forever be January 6 in the way we see Josh Hawley, who has shown no remorse or regret for launching an effort to topple the US government,” the former deputy security adviser wrote. national Ben Rhodes.

“Josh Hawley purposely makes a show of himself. Why would he disrespect those who died on January 6 and after? Why? Author Anne Rice wrote.

Trump is accused of instigating the Jan.6 insurgency that sought to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in his favor. Five people died in the insurgency and around 140 police officers were injured, including one with a broken spine, a lost eye, lost fingers and some with brain damage.

On the evening of the uprising, the editorial staff Kansas City Star, a home state newspaper in Hawley, Missouri, ran an op-ed titled “Assault on Democracy: Senator Josh Hawley Has Blood on His Hands in Attempted Capitol Coup.”

“Hawley, [Republican Kansas Senator Roger] Marshall and other Republicans who supported [President Donald] Trump’s widespread fraud scam knew from the start that its claims were false. Now that they have seen exactly where these lies have taken us, ”the editorial said.

Former Republican Senator from Missouri and United Nations Ambassador John C. Danforth said he regretted endorsing Hawley in the 2018 midterm election after Hawley led the Republican Senate challenge to vote the Electoral College in favor of President-elect Joe Biden.

“Supporting Josh and trying so hard to get him elected to the Senate was the worst mistake I have ever made in my life,” Danforth said in a telephone interview with the Mail from St. Louis.

Newsweek contacted Hawley’s office for comment.