Sen. Mike Lee meets privately with Donald Trump’s legal team, even though he is a juror at impeachment trial

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Additionally, clip of Utah Gov. Spencer Cox saying Trump ought to be held accountable is proven at trial.

{Susan Walsh | AP photograph) Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, left, and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., proper, stroll on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, earlier than the beginning of the third day of the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.

| Feb. 11, 2021, 10:09 p.m.

| Up to date: Feb. 12, 2021, 1:44 a.m.

Utah Sen. Mike Lee took an uncommon step Thursday for a senator basically performing a juror within the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump: he met with Trump’s authorized workforce earlier than it presents its case on Friday.

“Sure, it’s true,” a spokesman for Lee confirmed. “He met with them as a result of they invited him. He’d fortunately discuss to the Home managers, too.”

Nationwide information media reported that Lee, together with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, met with Trump’s attorneys on Thursday afternoon after Democratic Home managers rested their case.

NBC News reported that Cruz stated they have been “discussing their authorized technique and sharing our ideas.”

“That’s very uncommon,” Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., told CNN about that meeting. ”We took a separate oath to be jurors and to weigh the data that’s offered. … It appears a little bit unusual to have separate conferences with the counsel” for Trump.

The Washington Post reported that after their assembly, Trump lawyer David Schoen advised reporters the senators have been simply “speaking about process,” referred to as them “pleasant guys” and stated they didn’t tip him off to questions they might be asking.”

They mentioned “simply how this format goes, , the question-and-answer interval, all that,” Schoen stated. “After which simply speaking about the place they’re from and all that, nevertheless it’s simply very good. I stated to them it was a fantastic honor to have the chance to speak to them.”

Graham was noticed leaving the assembly and advised reporters, “See you tomorrow.”

Throughout the impeachment trial, senators are anticipated to be neutral jurors, listening to the proof from each side earlier than voting on whether or not to convict.

Nevertheless, in Trump’s first impeachment, then-Senate Majority Chief Mitch McConnell set a precedent of conferring with the protection.

Additionally, Lee has already been outspoken in predicting that Trump will be acquitted, and in addition called the articles of impeachment “irresponsible.”

One other Utah side to the impeachment trial occurred Thursday when Democrats prosecuting the second impeachment of Donald Trump used a video clip of Republican Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Thursday to assist make their case that even key Republicans say the previous president have to be held accountable.

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., confirmed clips from 5 Republican governors who denounced Trump’s actions that led to the Jan. 6 riot on the U.S. Capitol.

“Folks should be held accountable, and sure, that features the president,” Cox stated in a clip proven to the Senate.

It got here from a Jan. 11 interview that Cox gave on “Good Morning America,” and solely a small a part of it was proven.

In different elements of that interview, Cox stated then about Trump, “I actually assume it could be good for the nation if he have been prepared to resign. I doubt that’s going to occur.”

When Cox was requested in that interview if he would vote to question Trump, he stated, “Effectively, I must have a look at the entire proof, however I might very a lot take into account it. I can inform you that proper now. However I don’t have a vote.”

It was the second day in a row {that a} Utahn had a key video cameo on the impeachment. On Wednesday, Sen. Mitt Romney had a short but harrowing cameo showing he had a near-miss in running into the mob on Jan. 6.

Del. Stacy Plaskett, D-Virgin Islands, one of many Home managers prosecuting former President Donald Trump, narrated that second for senators.

“On this safety footage, you may see [Capitol Police] Officer [Eugene] Goodman operating to answer the preliminary breach,” she says. “Officer Goodman passes Sen. Mitt Romney, and directs him to show round in an effort to get to security.”

Romney is proven turning after which operating to flee the mob.

After all, Romney is without doubt one of the most recognizable members of Congress because the 2012 GOP nominee for president — and is somebody the mob in all probability despised as the only real Republican who voted to convict Trump in his first impeachment. Had the mob discovered him, it might have been a catastrophe for Romney.

Romney later stated, “I’m deeply grateful to Officer Eugene Goodman for his bravery, and I’m grateful for the entire officers and brokers whose heroic actions prevented a tragic state of affairs from turning into much more horrific.”

Utah was additionally talked about throughout a dialogue Thursday about persevering with on-line threats from Trump supporters — even after the Jan. 6 riots — led states to extend safety round their capitols earlier than the Jan. 20 inauguration of President Joe Biden.

Home impeachment supervisor Diana DeGette, D-Colo., talked about that Utah spent $585,000 on mobilizing Nationwide Guard troop and Freeway Patrol troopers for such efforts, and that was included in a chart proven to senators about how a lot was spent by six states.