The sun is up on a new day. But there must be accountability for yesterday:
The Cabinet should invoke the 25th Amendment against Trump. If he wants to challenge, Congress should vote him out.
Congress should inform Trump that he is not welcome at the inauguration.
Congress must also dig into the awful lack of security yesterday—praising those who performed heroically and holding accountable those who allowed the second attack on the Capitol in US history.
Law enforcement officials should investigate and, if warranted, punish insurrectionists. That includes citizen Trump, who loses all immunity on January 20th.
America needs to help the Biden/Harris Administration repair the damage and exit a painful chapter, sadder but wiser, rebuilding a nation committed to eternal American values.
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Tonight I spoke on the Senate floor about exactly what objecting to these electoral results means for our country:
After John Lewis was savagely beaten on Bloody Sunday, the US Senate came together to pass the Voting Rights Act.
We should be coming together today—after more violence—to affirm the votes cast in November. Instead we’re contemplating an unprecedented act of disenfranchisement.
If we object to these electoral results, we’re saying to states: No matter how safe and secure your elections are, we’ll gladly overturn them if we don't like the results.
To Senators attempting to overturn state electoral results in states that voted for Biden/Harris:
Your challenge is dangerous—you are attempting to overthrow the government of the United States.
Your challenge is discriminatory—you are attempting a massive disenfranchisement of select voters in select states that voted for the Biden/Harris ticket.
At 5am today, I spoke on the Senate floor in opposition to the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the United States Supreme Court—a process that has shown just how deeply misplaced the priorities of the Senate GOP are in this moment.
We're facing the largest public health crisis in 100 years, the most significant economic collapse since the Great Depression, and the Senate has done nothing to provide relief for 6 months! This is inexcusable.
The GOP Senate majority abandoned their commitment to helping Americans through this emergency on September 18—the day that Ruth Bader Ginsburg died. And since then, rushing Judge Barrett to confirmation has been all that matters to them.
30 American servicemembers—including Virginians—were killed in Afghanistan in 2019 and 2020.
Now we’re hearing reports that Russia was paying bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill Americans. And the White House reportedly knew, holding meetings about the explosive charge in March of this year.
Trump and his team are in panic mode. Trump suggests the report is a hoax. White House staff doesn’t deny the existence of the intelligence, but says Trump was never briefed on it. But the Administration reportedly did tell the British—so that British troops could be protected!
As a lawyer, I had cases in every court from the Richmond traffic court to the U.S. Supreme Court. I know courtrooms front, back, and center. And now I'm a juror for the first time in my life. I want to share some thoughts after the first few days of this impeachment trial:
As jurors we're grappling with 3 questions:
1. What are the facts? 2. Do the facts establish either or both of the articles of impeachment? 3. If they do, did they establish them at such a level—a high crime or misdemeanor—to warrant removal of the President from office?
I’ve taken an oath to do impartial justice and I’m going to keep an open mind until the proceedings are done. But I'm disappointed that my colleagues have yet to embrace what anyone who’s been in any courtroom understands: you can’t have a trial without witnesses and documents.
This so-called “investigation” is a complete sham.
This process was wrapped up in just *5 days,* despite the many witnesses pleading to share relevant information who were ignored by the FBI.
The “report” is available for Senators to review in a secure office but get this—there’s only ONE copy! That means Senators have to sign up for hourlong slots between now and the expected vote. There may not even be time for all 100 of us to read it before our first vote!