REPUBLICAN CHUCK GRASSLEY, HERE’S WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT THE
UPCOMING TRIAL AND IMPARTIAL
JURORS.
JURORS. >> WHEN IT COMES TO THE SENATE
TRIAL, SENATOR GRASSLEY, YOU
SAID YOU VIEW YOUR ROLE AS AN
IMPARTIAL JUROR IN THIS PROCESS.
IS THAT STILL WHERE YOU STAND?
>> YES.
>> YES. IF YOU WOULD READ WHAT I SAID IN
1999, YOU’D SAY EXACTLY THE SAME
THING.
THING. I SEE MY ROLE AS EXACTLY THE
SAME.
SAME. LISTEN TO PROSECUTION AND LISTEN
TO DEFENSE, WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE
DONE AFTER THAT, WE’LL HAVE TO
DECIDE AT THAT POINT.
I THINK CONSTITUTIONALLY, I
SHOULD SEE MYSELF AS A JUROR,
EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE SAY, YOU’RE
JUDGE AND JURY IN THE SENATE.
I SEE IT THIS WAY.
LISTEN TO THE EVIDENCE AND SAY
GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY, JUST LIKE
YOU WOULD IF YOU WERE IN A
CRIMINAL CASE.
CRIMINAL CASE. >> SINCE YOU VIEW YOUR ROLE THAT
WAY, DO YOU TAKE ISSUE WITH THE
COMMENTS MITCH McCONNELL MADE
THAT MORNING HOW HE DOESN’T SEE
HIMSELF AS AN IMPARTIAL JUROR IN
THIS PROCESS?
THIS PROCESS? >> I WOULD IMAGINE WE HAVE 100
SENATORS AND 100 POINTS OF VIEW
ON THIS WHOLE ISSUE.
>> SENATOR DURBIN, WHAT WOULD A
FAIR SENATE TRIAL LOOK LIKE TO
YOU?
YOU? >> BEFORE I CAME TO THE
CONGRESS, I WAS A TRIAL LAWYER.
I KNOW WHAT A TRIAL LOOKS LIKE.
THERE IS A JUDGE AND A JURY.
THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT AS
SENATOR GRASSLEY MENTIONED AND
PRESENTATION OF EVIDENCE TO BE
CONSIDERED BY THE PROSECUTION
AND DEFENSE.
AND DEFENSE. I KNOW WHAT EVIDENCE IS, MOST
PEOPLE DO.
PEOPLE DO. BY AND LARGE DOCUMENTATION OF
MATERIAL AND TESTIMONY BY
INDIVIDUAL OR DEPOSITION.
YOU GATHER THAT EVIDENCE AND
REACH THE BEST CONCLUSION YOU
CAN, BASED ON THE EVIDENCE.
I HOPE WE HAVE A HEARING THAT
BRINGS FACTS BEFORE US WE CAN
CONSIDER AND WITNESSES WE CAN
JUDGE WHETHER OR NOT THEY’RE
TRUTHFUL OR NOT IN OUR OWN
ESTIMATION.
ESTIMATION. THAT’S A REAL TRIAL.
I THINK PEOPLE WANT US TO
RESPECT ONE ANOTHER AND WANT US
TO RESPECT THE CONSTITUTION AND
WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS TRIAL IS
RESPECTFUL AS WELL.
>> IS YOUR MIND MADE UP?
>> OF COURSE, I THINK IT GOES
WITHOUT SAYING EACH OF US IS
LEANING IN ONE DIRECTION OR
ANOTHER BASED ON OUR OWN VIEWS
AT THIS POINT OR POLITICS OF THE
MOMENT.
MOMENT. BUT WHEN WE RAISE OUR HAND AND
SAY WE SWEAR TO STAND BY
IMPARTIAL JUSTICE SO HELP ME
GOD, IT MEANS WE HAVE TO OPEN
OUR EARS AND HEAR BOTH SIDES OF
IT BEFORE WE REACH A CONCLUSION.