Making death threats on her?
Politics Sen. Lisa Murkowski ‘disturbed’ by McConnell’s vow of ‘total coordination’ with White House over impeachment By Katie Mettler and Deanna Paul December 25 at 3:03 PM PT Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) speaks to journalists on Oct. 5, 2018. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post) Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) — a key potential Republican swing vote — told an Anchorage TV station that she was “disturbed” by the Senate majority leader’s statement last week that the verdict in President Trump’s upcoming impeachment trial was already determined. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called the House’s case for impeachment “so darn weak” and said there was “zero chance” Trump would be removed from office. The majority leader also promised “total coordination” with the White House and Trump’s defense team. [McConnell’s vow of ‘total coordination’ with White House on Senate impeachment trial angers Democrats] Murkowski told NBC affiliate KTUU that she believes there should be distance between the Senate, which will serve as the jury for Trump’s impeachment trial, and the White House. McConnell’s comments, she said, have “further confused the process.” “To me, it means we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense,” Murkowski said. Donald Trump is the third president in U.S. history to face a Senate trial. (The Washington Post) The senior senator told KTUU that she felt House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had rushed impeachment so it could be wrapped up before Christmas. The House, Murkowski said, mishandled the process when two key witnesses followed White House direction and refused to testify: Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney ignored a subpoena, and former national security adviser John Bolton indicated he would fight a subpoena in court. Murkowski says the House should have taken the issue to the courts. Instead, Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) opted to move forward with a vote on articles of impeachment. Waiting on the courts would delay a trial, which Schiff said was unacceptable due to the time-sensitive nature of the accusations against Trump, including that he had encouraged foreign interference in the upcoming 2020 election. Although the House voted Dec. 18 on two impeachment articles for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, Pelosi has yet to formally send them to the Senate for a trial. First, Pelosi said, she wants to know “what sort of trial the Senate will conduct.” In a letter to colleagues Monday, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) argued that documents withheld by the White House during the House impeachment process should be subpoenaed as part of the Senate trial. McConnell called the holdup “absurd.” Trump has lashed out at Pelosi over the delay and called the trial an “Impeachment Scam.” Those sharp critiques are in stark contrast to the president’s Christmas morning video message with first lady Melania Trump, in which he called for unity and respect. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump posted a Christmas greeting video on Twitter on Dec. 25. (Reuters) “While the challenges that face our country are great, the bonds that unite us as Americans are much stronger,” Trump said. “Together, we must strive to foster a culture of deeper understanding and respect, traits that exemplify the teachings of Christ.” Murkowski told KTUU she is committed to observing Trump’s trial objectively. It would be “wrong,” she said, “to prejudge and say there’s nothing there.” To jump to conclusions about Trump’s guilt would also be unfair, Murkowski added. After Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh was investigated in 2018 by the Senate Judiciary Committee over allegations of sexual misconduct, Murkowski bucked her party and voted against his confirmation. At the time, Trump said in a phone call with The Washington Post that he believed the senator would “never recover.” [‘Painful’: Murkowski bucks party on Kavanaugh and becomes a target for the right] Trump advertised his strained relationship with Murkowski at a November fundraising event in Washington, according to attendees. “She hates me. I kind of like her, but she really doesn’t like me,” he said, referring to Murkowski. “We do so much for Alaska, you’d think we’d get her vote for something one of these days.” In the TV interview in Anchorage, Murkowski did not say how she would vote when the Senate trial takes place. She is viewed as one of three Republican swing voters in the Senate, a designation with which she is comfortable. “If it means that I am viewed as one who looks openly and critically at every issue in front of me rather than acting as a rubber stamp for my party or my president, I’m totally good with that,” Murkowski said. “I am totally, totally good with that.” Josh Dawsey contributed to this report. Read more: Team Trump wants you to own the ‘liberal snowflakes’ at your family Christmas party ‘Why bother with impeachment?’ and other readers’ impeachment questions, answered A Minnesota community wants to fix its child-care crisis. It’s harder than it imagined. Katie Mettler is a general assignment reporter for The Washington Post. She previously worked for the Tampa Bay Times in St. Petersburg, Fla. Deanna Paul covers national and breaking news for The Washington Post. Before joining The Post, she spent six years as a New York City prosecutor. Democracy Dies in Darkness
Politics Sen. Lisa Murkowski ‘disturbed’ by McConnell’s vow of ‘total coordination’ with White House over impeachment By Katie Mettler and Deanna Paul December 25 at 3:03 PM PT Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) speaks to journalists on Oct. 5, 2018. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post) Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) — a key potential Republican swing vote — told an Anchorage TV station that she was “disturbed” by the Senate majority leader’s statement last week that the verdict in President Trump’s upcoming impeachment trial was already determined. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called the House’s case for impeachment “so darn weak” and said there was “zero chance” Trump would be removed from office. The majority leader also promised “total coordination” with the White House and Trump’s defense team. [McConnell’s vow of ‘total coordination’ with White House on Senate impeachment trial angers Democrats] Murkowski told NBC affiliate KTUU that she believes there should be distance between the Senate, which will serve as the jury for Trump’s impeachment trial, and the White House. McConnell’s comments, she said, have “further confused the process.” “To me, it means we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense,” Murkowski said. Donald Trump is the third president in U.S. history to face a Senate trial. (The Washington Post) The senior senator told KTUU that she felt House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had rushed impeachment so it could be wrapped up before Christmas. The House, Murkowski said, mishandled the process when two key witnesses followed White House direction and refused to testify: Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney ignored a subpoena, and former national security adviser John Bolton indicated he would fight a subpoena in court. Murkowski says the House should have taken the issue to the courts. Instead, Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) opted to move forward with a vote on articles of impeachment. Waiting on the courts would delay a trial, which Schiff said was unacceptable due to the time-sensitive nature of the accusations against Trump, including that he had encouraged foreign interference in the upcoming 2020 election. Although the House voted Dec. 18 on two impeachment articles for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, Pelosi has yet to formally send them to the Senate for a trial. First, Pelosi said, she wants to know “what sort of trial the Senate will conduct.” In a letter to colleagues Monday, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) argued that documents withheld by the White House during the House impeachment process should be subpoenaed as part of the Senate trial. McConnell called the holdup “absurd.” Trump has lashed out at Pelosi over the delay and called the trial an “Impeachment Scam.” Those sharp critiques are in stark contrast to the president’s Christmas morning video message with first lady Melania Trump, in which he called for unity and respect. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump posted a Christmas greeting video on Twitter on Dec. 25. (Reuters) “While the challenges that face our country are great, the bonds that unite us as Americans are much stronger,” Trump said. “Together, we must strive to foster a culture of deeper understanding and respect, traits that exemplify the teachings of Christ.” Murkowski told KTUU she is committed to observing Trump’s trial objectively. It would be “wrong,” she said, “to prejudge and say there’s nothing there.” To jump to conclusions about Trump’s guilt would also be unfair, Murkowski added. After Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh was investigated in 2018 by the Senate Judiciary Committee over allegations of sexual misconduct, Murkowski bucked her party and voted against his confirmation. At the time, Trump said in a phone call with The Washington Post that he believed the senator would “never recover.” [‘Painful’: Murkowski bucks party on Kavanaugh and becomes a target for the right] Trump advertised his strained relationship with Murkowski at a November fundraising event in Washington, according to attendees. “She hates me. I kind of like her, but she really doesn’t like me,” he said, referring to Murkowski. “We do so much for Alaska, you’d think we’d get her vote for something one of these days.” In the TV interview in Anchorage, Murkowski did not say how she would vote when the Senate trial takes place. She is viewed as one of three Republican swing voters in the Senate, a designation with which she is comfortable. “If it means that I am viewed as one who looks openly and critically at every issue in front of me rather than acting as a rubber stamp for my party or my president, I’m totally good with that,” Murkowski said. “I am totally, totally good with that.” Josh Dawsey contributed to this report. Read more: Team Trump wants you to own the ‘liberal snowflakes’ at your family Christmas party ‘Why bother with impeachment?’ and other readers’ impeachment questions, answered A Minnesota community wants to fix its child-care crisis. It’s harder than it imagined. Katie Mettler is a general assignment reporter for The Washington Post. She previously worked for the Tampa Bay Times in St. Petersburg, Fla. Deanna Paul covers national and breaking news for The Washington Post. Before joining The Post, she spent six years as a New York City prosecutor. Democracy Dies in Darkness
