Even Dem Senator Who Vowed To Convict Trump Says House Dems Didn't Do Their Job
Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono has been at the head of the President Donald Trump impeachment train for as far back as we can remember.
Her temper tantrum over the results of the 2016 presidential election has rivaled only those of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Rep. Adam Schiff and New York Rep. Jerry Nadler.
In fact, Hirono pledged to convict the president a month ago, before she had all the evidence. Which is why it comes as something of a surprise that she has blasted her Democratic colleagues in the House for their failure to do their job on impeachment.
The fact is @realDonaldTrump shook down the Ukrainian President for his personal, political gain with a taxpayer-funded bribe. He has yet to present a defense, which leaves us with the overwhelming evidence that he committed impeachable offenses. pic.twitter.com/chBiJlLunZ
— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) December 19, 2019
Appearing on CNN with Wolf Blitzer and Jake Tapper on Monday, the ornery senator was as irritable as ever.
Blitzer began the interview by noting that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell likely had enough votes to pass his rules for the impeachment trial.
“Senator Schumer says Democrats will fight it. Realistically, what options does your party have at least now?” Blitzer asked the senator.
Hirono fired back saying that the Democrats’ option “is to continue to offer an amendment to the McConnell process, and also during the trial, the house managers will be able to propose motions.”
“So there will be votes. Any time that either side calls for witnesses, there will be votes. So that’s what we’re going to do,” she said.
“We can be the loyal opposition to the end. But the good thing, Wolf, is that this is a trial without witnesses or without the appropriate documents. Whoever heard of such a thing? And this is why the American people — they are on our side, and wanting to have a fair trial.”
The American people are on their side? Which ones? The ones in the bubble they live in where the only voices they hear are those of the people who agree with them?
Blitzer went on to ask Hirono about Senate Republicans’ plans for the trial.
“One of the departures from the Clinton trial some 21 years ago is that the evidence from the house investigation will not be automatically admitted. It will now require a vote,” the CNN host said.
“Are you concerned by not subpoenaing witnesses or documents, the house, the House of Representatives may not have the strongest case here, that some of this evidence actually will be dismissed?” he asked the senator.
WATCH:
Sen. Hirono, who has already said she will “vote to convict him,” tells CNN that House Dems didn’t do their job:
“If we were following the Clinton precedent, there would have been all of this discovery done at the House level, and that’s not what’s happening at all.” pic.twitter.com/oOY30SUTRn
— Mark Bednar (@MarkBednar) January 21, 2020
“Every time I hear Mitch McConnell say that they’re following the Clinton playbook, I just want to say ‘give me a break,’” Hirono responded.
“This is another departure, massive departure, because of course during the Clinton impeachment there had already been a lot of witnesses, a lot of depositions taken, lots of evidence produced — none of which occurred in this instance, with President Trump stonewalling every request.
“So I’m shocked. But, you know, nothing that Mitch McConnell does to speed up this trial and make it harder for the process to be fair surprises me anymore,” she said.
Hirono took some time to mock the president and his supporters before Tapper asked her the question that had her tear into her own party.
“During the Senate trial 21 years ago for Bill Clinton’s impeachment, the testimonies were done behind closed doors, videotaped and then the video excerpts were shown to the members of the Senate. That would be following the Clinton precedent. Would that be acceptable to you?” he asked.
“If we’re following the Clinton precedent, there would have been all of the discovery done at the House level and that’s not what’s happening at all,” the Hawaii senator replied before catching herself and turning her attention back to Republicans.
“They want to trickle out and limit as much as possible anything that any witness that we want can testify to, so that is their whole modus operandus, to limit the information that is produced for our consideration as well as to the American public. It is all par for the course with those guys,” she said.
But lack of evidence or not, she has still vowed to convict the president because it never really mattered to her if there was evidence for impeachment.
The crime the president committed in her eyes is having the audacity to win the 2016 presidential election.
And for that he is guilty as charged.
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