After the Senate voted to acquit President Donald Trump on two articles of impeachment, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) held a press conference to discuss what took place.
"Some of you are probably wondering what's left to be said after listening to all this the last two or three weeks. As you know, on occasion I'm rather parsimonious with my comments and I thought it best to wait until this was behind us before having a more open discussion with all of you about what we've just witnessed," McConnell told reporters.
"Let me start by saying I don't think any of you doubt that this was the most partisan of exercises. We all fully remember and it's been numerous times, as the Speaker said, roughly a year ago, you shouldn't go forward with an impeachment if it was not bipartisan," the Senate Majority Leader explained. "I've watched her very carefully over the years. Our leadership position has overlapped. Even before then we were working together on appropriation bills, back in the early days."
"I'm pretty sure she didn't want to do this," McConnell said. "But the fact that she was pulled into this direction, against what appeared to be her political instincts a year ago, underscores that this was a purely political exercise."
"Now, having been dragged into something she instinctively felt was a mistake and the second impulse was 'Let's get this over as quickly as possible. Get it out of here. Get it over in the other body and let them deal with it,'" he explained. "So that's why you had an abbreviated, truncated rush job in the House."
Pelosi knew impeachment was a bad idea. She never wanted to pursue it. But political insurgents – like 'The Squad' featuring Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Ayanna Pressley – pushed Pelosi in that direction. Most of the freshmen in the House campaigned on impeaching President Trump. Why? Because it motivated their base.
Look how well that's going for them. This sham impeachment process has done nothing but push independents and skeptics into Trump's corner.
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