In nine-minute closing remarks capping off the third day of President Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial Thursday night, Rep. Adam Schiff argued the evidence for Trump’s guilt is overwhelming and said his removal from office is a necessary step toward protecting the U.S. Constitution and the national interest.
Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and one of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) handpicked impeachment managers, contended it is undeniable that Trump has “done what he’s charged with”—abused the power of the presidency and obstructed Congress.
The only remaining question, said Schiff, is: “Does he really need to be removed?” The Democrat from California argued unequivocally that the answer is yes.
“If right doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter how good the Constitution is,” Schiff said. “It doesn’t matter how brilliant the framers were. Doesn’t matter how good or bad our advocacy in this trial is. Doesn’t matter how well written the oath of impartiality is. If right doesn’t matter, we’re lost. If the truth doesn’t matter, we’re lost.”
“You know you can’t trust this president to do what’s right for this country,” Schiff continued. “You can trust he will do what’s right for Donald Trump. He’ll do it now. He’s done it before. He’ll do it for the next several months. He’ll do it in the election if he’s allowed to. This is why if you find him guilty, you must find that he should be removed.”
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