This shouldn’t be the last day of the impeachment trial. Live coverage #1

Following the latest bombshell news about Kevin McCarthy’s screaming match with Donald Trump on January 6, will House Managers request witnesses, or will today be the final day of the second impeachment trial for Trump? We’ll find out soon. 

The impeachment trial is being aired on major television news networks and streamed on their websites. Daily Kos will have continuing coverage.

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:05:10 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

I can’t wait to find out which Republican Senators care more about being primaried than their country, democracy, their children, their grandchildren, the truth, decency or their own name in history.— Jim Gaffigan (@JimGaffigan) February 13, 2021

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:06:59 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

How much of this conversation was “Would you just shut the #$%@ up, Tommy?”

Senators Mike Lee and Tommy Tuberville were huddled together on the Senate floor before the trial kicked off Saturday. Trump attorneys Bruce Castor and Michael Van der veen came in and talked with them. Lindsey Graham came over to talk for a moment.— Daniel Flatley (@DanielPFlatley) February 13, 2021

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:09:17 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

House mangers are going to ask for at least one witness! Now van der Veen claiming “there was a stipulation going around that there weren’t going to be any witnesses.” Van der Veen now says he wants “over 100 depositions.”

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:11:54 PM +00:00

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Joan McCarter

They will need 51 votes to get witnesses.

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:12:08 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

Van der Veen is pissed. Really wants to deliver that closing argument and go home. But sure, let’s have all the witnesses. Let’s get every damn person who ever attended a Trump rally in there. Not much I can think of that would be better than a string of Trumpies stepping up to say how “the president told us to be there.”

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:14:40 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

Rep. Raskin challenges Trump’s team to simply bring forward their client.

Van der Veen says McCarthy disclaims “the rumor” saying it didn’t happen. Now they’re saying that the conversation with Tuberville and Lee didn’t happen. Which is a lie.

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:15:24 PM +00:00

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Joan McCarter

“When Raskin said he wanted to call Herrera Beutler, Graham shook his head no, and put hand on forehand,” per pooler @jason_donner— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 13, 2021

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:15:38 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

I’m kind of liking just how snarly van der Veen is this morning. They really don’t want anyone to hear this evidence.

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:16:41 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

Van der Veen: “It doesn’t matter what happened after the insurgents attacked this building.” That’s not a great sale to the people who were at the pointy end of the spears.

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:18:46 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

Van der Veen now declaring that he wants Nancy Pelosi and Kamala Harris to come to his office in Philadelphia. And people are laughing at him. 

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:21:12 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

Rep. Raskin says there was never any “stipulation” about having no witnesses. Doesn’t get into the histrionics that van der Veen engaged in.

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:23:04 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

Now a roll call vote on whether to hold debate on calling witnesses or subpoenaing documents. 

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:28:18 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

A source familiar with the work of the House Managers says former Vice President Mike Pence’s Chief of Staff Marc Short has been contacted about providing information about threat to Pence. Short has not responded, the source said.— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) February 13, 2021

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:32:58 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

The vote passes, with Collins, Murkowski, Romney, and Sasse voting with Democrats. After the vote, Lindsey Graham changed his vote to an “aye.” Why isn’t clear, but you can be sure that the reason will turn out to be jackassery.

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:41:11 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

So, by 55 — 45, the vote passes to open debate on calling witnesses. 

Witnesses themselves will also be subject to votes, and no matter what van der Veen shouts, they can do it over Zoom, or any other way, that the Senate approves. Suck it, Michael.

But the biggest point of the day may be van der Veen shouting how nothing that happened after the insurgents attacked the Capitol matters. If that wasn’t a tacit admission that the facts of how Trump handled the assault are damning, it was very near it.

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:42:05 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

For your morning entertainment.

YouTube Video

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 3:43:36 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

The reason they’re all laughing at you, Van Der Veen, is that in the Clinton impeachment trial, the testimony of witnesses was taken remotely on videotape and then played in the Senate. No one had to go down to your office in Phillyaheedelphia. https://t.co/H8SDLQWKTa— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) February 13, 2021

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 4:07:09 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

What’s happening right now, with all the little clusters around the room, is that they’re trying to work out some sort of deal. It may be that each side gets one witness, or they may allow each side to call three witnesses, or the whole thing could fall apart and Republicans could demand a thousand witnesses.

If McConnell still has any control over his caucus, there will be some kind of deal, but that’s definitely not a sure thing.

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 4:39:11 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

Then Senatorial version of Where’s Waldo. Find the one jackass who isn’t wearing a mask. 

Saturday, Feb 13, 2021 · 4:43:58 PM +00:00

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Mark Sumner

The Senate has recessed until 12:30 PM ET to give them a chance to work out what happens next.

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