House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., accompanied by the impeachment managers House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo. speaks to reporters, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020. The U.S. Senate was poised to hear opening arguments Wednesday in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, with Democratic House managers set to make their case that Trump abused power and should be removed from office. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Republicans were pretty happy with the performance of President Trump’s defense team this morning. Sen. John Barrasso’s (R-WY) reaction was the best of all. Here’s what he had to say to reporters afterward:
Today, we had a presentation that was strong and that was clear and that completely undermined the case of the Democrats and truly undermined the credibility of Adam Schiff. I think the most effective thing that happened was when they first read – this was the President’s counsel – first read the transcript of the phone call with the President of the United States and the President of Ukraine.
And then played the video of Adam Schiff with his fictionalized, made up script. And from where I was sitting, and I know the press couldn’t see his face, but the blood drained from Adam Schiff’s face as they played that video and his made up words.
The House case has been one that has been selective use of information, misuse of information and what we saw today, in just two short hours, is what the House left out in 21 hours. All in the effort to undermine and impeach and remove this President and to undermine the election of 2020.
This is the first time Schiff has faced any real, direct pushback to his agenda. He bulldozed this impeachment through the House where the Republicans have been rendered powerless. He appears only on Democrat friendly networks. But today, he had his first taste of genuine opposition and judging from Sen. Barrasso’s description, he didn’t much like it.
I bet he’s not looking forward to Monday.
Barrasso’s remarks can be viewed in the tweet below. The second tweet shows a map of the Senate Chamber where you can see that Barrasso (seat is highlighted in yellow) has a bird-eye view of Schiff.
Conference Chairman @SenJohnBarrasso:
When @realdonaldtrump's counsel read the transcript of the phone call and then played the video of Adam Schiff with his fictionalized made up script…
The blood drained from Adam Schiff’s face as they played that video. pic.twitter.com/IYHtgJroqg
— Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) January 25, 2020
Where Barrasso sits, per this handy Senate chart. h/t @BBuchman_CNS https://t.co/xYDivqhsc6 pic.twitter.com/Rby2b5GA16
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) January 25, 2020
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