Harris to GOP Colleagues: Nadler’s Tone Has Little to Do with Your Responsibility to Be Impartial

Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) said on Thursday during MSNBC’s impeachment coverage that Republican senators should be more concerned with ensuring “we do fair and impartial justice,” than the tone of House managers.

Harris was asked about Sen. Susan Collins (R-MA) writing a note to Chief Justice John Roberts about House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) accusing Senate Republicans of participating in a coverup just before he admonished the House impeachment managers.

Host Ari Melber said, “I want to read to you what I’m sure you’ve heard about, Senator Collins, speaking out about something she wanted to ask about, saying, ‘I was stunned by Congressman Nadler’s approach.’ On the first night, he made comments she viewed as impugning the senators. ‘I made a note raising the issue whether that was violating the rules of the Senate. The chief justice admonished both sides. I was glad that he did.’ Is this, in your view, a preview of where some of the questions may head, and do you see it as an important line of questioning?”

Harris said, “Let’s just step back for a moment, and all appreciate the fact that this is probably the most important responsibility that any member of the United States Senate has, which is to sit as a juror in the impeachment of the president of the United States. And for that reason, then, let’s not be distracted by whatever is happening on the sidelines. Let’s focus on the facts. Let’s focus on the law, and let’s ensure that this will be a fair trial, that it will be legitimate in terms of its process, which is supposed to be about seeking truth and, therefore, justice. And the tone of someone who is presenting the case really has very little to do with the responsibility of each of us, which is to pay attention to the facts, to demand that we receive all facts and all evidence available, including documents, and that we deliberate based on what the Constitution requires of each of us, which is that we do fair and impartial justice.”

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN