Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) is suggesting former President Donald Trump was acquitted because of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
“As lead manager, Jamie Raskin recognized right after the trial they could have had 500 more witnesses. It wasn’t going to change the outcome,” Coons said during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week.”
He continued, “Once Mitch McConnell made it clear he intended to acquit, even despite the compelling evidence, what the House managers needed wasn’t more witnesses or more evidence. What we all needed was more Republican courage.”
Coons expressed his gratitude for the seven Republicans who did vote to convict Trump.
“I, frankly, at that time, did not think that spending months fighting over additional witnesses would have changed the outcome of this trial one bit,” he explained.
Watch his interview below:
Host George Stephanopoulos asked Coons if the Senate would have garnered the votes to convict Trump if there were a secret ballot.
“I’m fairly certain there would have been a vote to convict with a secret ballot,” Coons said.
He explained, “Mitch McConnell immediately following this vote, despite voting to acquit on flimsy constitutional grounds, said that President Trump is ‘practically and morally responsible’ for the assault on the Capitol.”
Coons argued the Republican Party is “deeply divided” and reiterated his appreciation for those who decided to stand “up to” Trump.
McConnell said after he voted to acquit Trump, “The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president.”
He added, “President Trump is still liable for everything he did while he was in office as an ordinary citizen. He didn’t get away with anything. Yet.”
Sens. Richard Burr (R-NC), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) voted to convict, as IJR reported.