Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) hasn't been secretive regarding his feelings on the possible impeachment of President Donald Trump.
McConnell—like his 99 colleagues in the Senate—will take an oath of impartiality before acting as a juror once the House formally impeaches Trump, spurring a trial in the Senate. Despite this, he's already committed to working with White House lawyers so that the process favors Trump.
The Senate Majority Leader confirmed that today with his refusal to call four White House officials with firsthand knowledge of Trump's dealings with Ukrainian leaders to act as witnesses in the Senate trial of Donald Trump.
Among the potential witnesses are White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney—who admitted that aid to Ukraine was held up to force the country to announce an investigation into the 2016 election—and former National Security Advisor John Bolton, who called the corrupt efforts in Ukraine a "drug deal," according to witness testimony.
The White House blocked both witnesses from testifying before the House Intelligence Committee, partially resulting in a charge with obstruction of Congress in the articles of impeachment against the President.
While McConnell's opposition was expected, a resurfaced video from 1999—during the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton—shows McConnell taking quite a different position.
Watch below.
McConnell said:
"It's not unusual to have a witness in a trial. It's certainly not unusual to have a witness in an impeachment trial...the House managers have only asked for three witnesses. I think that's pretty modest."Today—20 years after that interview—McConnell said:
"The House chose this road. It is their duty to investigate. It is their duty to meet the very high bar for undoing a national election. If they fail, they fail. It is not the Senate's job to leap into the breach and search desperately for ways to "get to 'guilty.' That would hardly be impartial justice."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) accused McConnell of participating in a coverup for seeking an unfair trial.
Americans seem much more willing to side with the McConnell of 20 years ago instead of today's McConnell.
Schumer may force a vote to determine which, if any, witnesses will testify.
