Perhaps the American public will get a chance to see in the Senate those witnesses who the administration refused to let appear in the House. For example, it would be good to hear from President Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani; Secretary of State Mike Pompeo; Mick Mulvaney, acting chief of staff, and Philip Reeker, acting head of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the State Department. Then the Senate would have a trial based more on facts rather than on Republican denial.

I am not holding my breath. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already violated his pre-impeachment-trial oath.

Not surprisingly, House Republicans have failed to live up to the standard set by Fiona Hill, a former White House Russia adviser, for bravery, facts and rational consideration of presidential misbehavior. It is truly ironic that Russian President Vladimir Putin, a former Russian spy, a hostile opponent of our country and an authoritarian admired by Trump, has come out in support of Trump and echoed Republican disinformation.

I hope both our senators vote in support of Trump’s removal. This is not something being done to the president – Donald Trump has earned this impeachment all by himself.

Jim Owen

Belfast

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