GOP Senators Increasingly Absent From Impeachment Trial As Weariness Grows

Topline

Senators are tuning out as former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial grinds into its third day, with many falling asleep and more than a dozen Republicans exiting the chamber at various intervals.

WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 11: Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) talks with reporters as he arrives at the U.S. … [+] Capitol on the third day of former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial on February 11, 2021 in Washington, DC. House impeachment managers will make the case that Trump was responsible for the deadly January 6th attack at the U.S. Capitol and he should be convicted and barred from holding public office again. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Getty Images Key Facts

As many as 15 seats of Republican senators were empty during the first few hours of the trial Thursday, compared to just a handful of Democrats who were outside of the chamber, according to pool reports.

Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) were both away from their desks, for instance, while Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) was in the basement on his phone, CNN’s Manu Raju reported.

Many within the chamber were preoccupied with other activities: Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) were reading papers, while, according to CNN’s Jeremy Herb, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) “had a blank map of Asia on his desk and was writing on it like he was filling in the names of the countries.”

On both sides of the aisle, a general malaise was setting in, with many senators reportedly appearing to struggle to stay awake, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.).

Even Trump’s lawyers were checked out, with David Schoen and Bruce Castor reportedly not taking notes and Schoen even leaving the chamber to speak to reporters and participate in several TV news interviews.

Asked by Raju why he was breaking from the trial to do interviews, Schoen said impeachment managers’ arguments are “more of the same thing,” labeling their use of footage of Capitol rioters citing Trump as their inspiration, “offensive, quite frankly.”

Crucial Quote

“It’s the same as yesterday and the same as the day before… it’s just redundant. The same thing, over and over again,” Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) told reporters of impeachment managers’ arguments on Thursday. “To me, the more you hear it, the less credibility there is in it.”

Chief Critic

“I have one question for any of my Republican colleagues unmoved by the videos and images of Trump’s mob ransacking the Capitol and attacking police officers: how can you live with yourselves?” tweeted Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii). “Never call yourselves the party of law and order ever again.”

Big Number

17. That’s the number of Republican senators needed to vote with Democrats in order for Trump to be convicted. Only six voted on Tuesday that the trial is constitutional: Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mitt Romney (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), most of whom were among the Republicans deeply engaged with the trial on Thursday.

Tangent

One moment where all Senate Republicans in the chamber reportedly snapped to attention was when impeachment manager Ted Lieu spoke about Trump retaliating against Republicans who broke with him, according to NPR’s Lisa Desjardins.

Surprising Fact

Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) told reporters he has already made up his mind on voting to acquit because of his earlier vote that the trial is unconstitutional. “It’s difficult to vote that it’s unconstitutional and vote to convict,” he told reporters.

What To Watch For

Senators of both parties now predict the trial will end by Saturday. “If they rest tomorrow, I think it will finish on Saturday unless there are witnesses,” said Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) told reporters, echoing Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) who both predicted a final vote on Saturday as well. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) called that timeline ambitious, however, telling reporters “the last I heard was Saturday but I’m not sure that’s gonna be possible. I think it’s more like Sunday.”