“I don’t think I’ve gotten any guidance,” Portman said. “Colleagues have stood up and expressed their views, but they’re not representing leadership. . [McConnell] has said, I think this is a vote of conscience. ”
McConnell declined to respond to questions Wednesday about whether he was open to convicting the former president, whom he aligned closely with during Trump’s tenure in the White House.
The GOP leader has described himself as undecided and told reporters during a recent press conference that he was waiting to hear the arguments at trial. Asked if he was still undecided on Wednesday, a spokesman pointed back to his remarks about wanting to hear the case.
Shocking new footage of the Jan. 6 insurrection was presented in the Senate chamber Wednesday, dismantling the idea that the second impeachment trial of former President Trump would produce no fresh information.
Biden wants Trump-appointed U.S. attorneys to resign
President Joe Biden, accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, meets with business leaders to discuss a coronavirus relief package in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Published February 10. 2021 12:05AM
Matt Zapotosky, The Washington Post
WASHINGTON - The Biden administration on Tuesday asked the remaining U.S. attorneys appointed by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate to submit their resignations, sparing only two federal prosecutors who are conducting politically sensitive probes, including of President Joe Biden s son, according to a Justice Department news release and officials.
Thomas is a senior legal fellow for the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies. President Joe Biden prepares to sign a series of executive orders at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office just hours after his inauguration on January 20, 2021. Chip Somodevilla / Staff / Getty Images
Key Takeaways
President Joe Biden has announced the creation of a commission to examine “reforming” the courts.
This move is not only a “solution” in search of a problem, but will itself likely damage the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary.
While candidate Biden said in a town hall event that he was “not a fan of court packing,” he would not rule it out.