Rove: 2020 Dems should recuse themselves from Trump impeachment trial for 'bias'

Karl Rove called for 2020 Democratic candidates to recuse themselves from President Trump‘s looming impeachment trial, saying their “bias” would make them “incapable of serving on the jury” in a fair capacity.

His remarks come after Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., questioned House Majority leader Mitch McConnell’s impartiality.

“Every Democrat member of the Senate who is running for president has already called for the president’s impeachment,” Rove said Sunday on America’s News HQ.

“Mr. Booker himself, a little hypocritical, has already said months and months ago ‘impeach President Trump.’ When are we going to hear Booker denounce himself and denounce [Sen. Elizabeth] Warren, and denounce [Sen. Bernie] Sanders, and denounce [Sen.] Kamalah Harris and denounce Amy Klobuchar as being biased and incapable of serving on the jury?”

The House voted to impeach Trump on Wednesday accusing him of crimes surrounding his efforts to pressure Ukraine to launch politically advantageous investigations. The request came after the administration had withheld millions in military aid to Ukraine, though Trump has denied any quid pro quo was at play.

“The jury will consist of Senate members who obviously have partisan backgrounds and partisan views…some of whom have been open and public about them,” Rove, who served as President George W. Bush’ White House chief of staff, added, “but the constitution assumes not that it’s an impartial jury of one’s peers, it assumes it’s of the United States.”

Despite Trump’s call for an immediate trial, House Speaker Nany Pelosi, D-Calif., has not yet transmitted the articles of impeachment to the GOP-controlled Senate, indicating that she does not intend to move to the next step in the process until Republicans provide details of their plans for witnesses and testimony.

“The longer this goes on, the more she [Pelosi] tries to play this game, I think it makes them look even more partisan, even more petty, and even more political.”

— Karl Rove

“The longer this goes on, and the more she [Pelosi] tries to play this game, I think it makes them [House Democrats] look even more partisan, even more petty, and even more political,” Rove said at an earlier point of the interview.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. D-N.Y., have been at an impasse over the issue, leaving open the possibility of a protracted delay until the articles are delivered.

McConnell has all but promised an easy acquittal of the president. McConnell appears to have united Republicans behind an approach that would begin the trial with presentations and arguments, lasting perhaps two weeks, before he attempts to draw the proceedings to a close.

In response, Pelosi and Schumer are demanding that the Senate call on trial witnesses who refused to appear during House committee hearings, including acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton.

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