Source: AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
Sometimes when prosecutors appeal to jurors to do their
duty, it works. Other times, it backfires. For impeachment manager Jerry
Nadler, it went up in flames. It turns out his condemnation of the senators
during the Trump impeachment trial didn't just earn him an admonition from
Chief Justice John Roberts. It may have cost him a swing vote.
During his remarks in the Senate on Tuesday night,
Nadler alleged that any senator who voted against a measure
to allow additional witnesses was guilty of a White House "cover up."
It was an incendiary and outrageous claim that was soundly rejected by the next
man at the podium, White House counsel Pat Cipollone. Cipollone turned to
Nadler and said that if "anyone" in that room should be
"embarrassed," he should look in the mirror.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), one of the moderate
Republicans that the Democrats desperately needed to not tick
off, also left the Senate chamber fuming over Nadler's presentation.
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“I took it as very
offensive. As one who is listening attentively and working hard to get to a
fair process, I was offended,” swing-vote Lisa Murkowski said tonight of
Nadler’s presentation last night and his accusation of a GOP coverup
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Good luck getting her back in your good graces, chairman.
Other impeachment managers did a fine job of defeating
themselves. The lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff kicked things off by canceling his argument when he suggested the Democrats
have overwhelming proof that Trump is guilty...but they need more evidence.
