South Carolina GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham blasted the move by House impeachment managers to connect President Trump through tweets and statements to Proud Boys and other violent extremists who stormed the Capitol.
The presentation by the managers at Wednesday's start of the impeachment trial stretched by to the first presidential debate when Trump took heat for failing to condemn the group and white supremacy when asked about it.
Trump told the far right group at the Sept. 30th debate to 'stand back and stand by' when asked about it by moderator Chris Wallace. As the managers pointed out, numerous Proud Boy members were spotted at the riot, and federal authorities have arrested Proud Boy members in connection with the riot.
'The legal theory they have is absurd – that somehow that Trump’s a secret member of the Proud boys,' said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), scoffing at arguments connecting Trump to the rioters who took the Capitol
Graham, a close advisor to Trump while in office who has blasted the impeachment effort, slammed the argument Wednesday.
“The legal theory they have is absurd – that somehow that Trump’s a secret member of the Proud boys,' he scoffed.
He said the videos mustered by managers made him 'mad' and said Capitol Police ' had every right to use deadly force, they should have used it. The people in charge of securing the Capitol left the country.'
But he also predicted Democrats weren't picking up support in the court of impeachment, where most GOP senators already appear locked in.
The impeachment trial recounted Graham calling Ivanka Trump pleading her to get Trump to call off his supporters
'You realize that there were people, insurrectionists, that tried to affect the peaceful transfer of power and that should give anyone who loves our republic great pause,' said Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)
The trial revealed how Sen. Mitt Romney was redirected away from the angry mob by a Capitol police officer
In this image from video, House impeachment manager Del. Stacey Plaskett, D-Virgin Islands, speaks during the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021
'Well I think there's more votes for acquittal after today than there was yesterday. Because hypocrisy is pretty large for these people, standing up to, you know, rioters when they came to my house, Susan Collins’ house, I think this is a very hypocritical presentation by the House,' he said.
He was making an argument, derided by some as 'what about-ism,' about protesters who have protested or harassed lawmakers – although Graham's most recent encounter with protesters came at a Washington, DC airport when he was harangued by Trump supporters calling him a 'traitor.'
Impeachment managers stressed the role of members of the Proud Boys, pictured here in Portland, in the riot
Graham also made an appearance at the trial when Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) brought up his pleas to Ivanka Trump to intervene to get the president to call off the mob. Cicilline was constructing an argument that Trump did 'nothing' to call off his rampaging supporters.
'It took him awhile to appreciate the gravity of the situation,' Graham told the Washington Post after January 6th.
Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who joined five other Republicans in voting that the trial was constitutional Tuesday, made a statement Wednesday connecting the riots directly to the counting of the electoral votes – which relates to the Democratic charge that Trump incited it for his own ends.
'There's so much to say that should be taken away. How do you narrow it?' said Cassidy, who faced backlash from the state Republican Party after his vote.
'You realize that there were people, insurrectionists, that tried to affect the peaceful transfer of power and that should give anyone who loves our republic great pause,' he said.
But there were not signs of any major visible shift in where the votes are, even after managers aired jarring footage of Trump supporters throwing objects and hurling obscenities at Capitol Police officers, bashing in windows, and revealed security footage showing just how close senators and House members were to the job.
One senator who wasn't persuaded by the evidence was Missouri Republican Josh Hawley. He was spotted viewing the proceedings from the Senate visitor's gallery rather than the floor. Senate rules on impeachment are so strict that they mention imprisonment for those who speak out of turn during the proceedings.
Hawley was seen with his feet on the seat ahead of them going through paperwork, NBC reported.
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