A group of GOP senators met with former President Donald Trump’s legal team Thursday in advance of its defense presentation before the Senate on Friday.
“I think their job is to make clear how the House managers have not carried their burden of proof, they have not demonstrated that the president’s conduct satisfied the legal status of high crimes and misdemeanors,” said Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who was in the meeting, along with Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
“And any standard that is put forth—and certainly any standard the House managers have tried to put forth—on its face, would equally condemn multiple comments from multiple Democrats, whether it is Nancy Pelosi calling police officers stormtroopers or Nazis,” Mr.Cruz said.
Asked by reporters if it was appropriate for senators who are also jurors at the trial to be meeting with Mr. Trump's defense team, David Schoen, one of the defense lawyers in the meeting, said: “That's the practice here with impeachment. There’s nothing about this thing that has any semblance of due process whatsoever.”
He criticized the Democratic managers for their use of video during the trial, slamming their presentation as an “entertainment” package.
“I think it's a politically partisan process,” he said. “I think it’s the political weaponization of it.”
He said Mr. Trump's team might only present three to four hours on Friday before concluding its case, and suggested that among his goals is to attack what he says is a false dichotomy set up by the managers: “Either you condemn what he said and you know, find him guilty or, there’s no middle ground, there is no possibility of thinking what he said maybe, you know, was inappropriate,” he said.
“I happen to think if you analyze that speech that first of all, under no circumstances could it be incitement,” he said about Mr. Trump’s Jan. 6 speech before his supporters stormed the Capitol. “It’s a powerful speech, but when you use the word ‘fight’ most of the times during the case, it’s clear he's talking about legislators fighting for our rights, people fighting to advocate, and you know, everyone likes to overlook the word ‘peacefully’ in there.’
Among the handful of Republican senators who appear to be considering votes to convict Mr. Trump is Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.). He has been taking copious notes and pacing the back of the chamber, listening intently to the House managers’ arguments.
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