WLBT-TV Jackson
Sen. Hyde-Smith doesn’t believe evidence presented links Trump to Capitol insurrection
By WLBT Digital
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) are in the Senate chamber taking in the oral arguments during the third day of the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.
Neither Hyde-Smith nor Wicker consider this second impeachment trial constitutional, but they are listening as the cases are laid out on Capitol Hill.
In an interview last week, Wicker was already adamant the process lacks constitutionality.
“Donald J. Trump is out of office and to me it’s a needless and pointless exercise,” said Wicker.
But the trial is now in full swing, House managers laid out their case, playing security footage of the violence at the Capitol on January 6th, and repeatedly tying the violence back to statements from former President Trump.
The managers are making the case Trump directly incited the insurrection.
“What’s also clear is what Donald Trump, our Commander in Chief did in those initial hours to protect us: nothing,” said Rep. David Cicilline.
Hyde-Smith says the House managers did a good job presenting their case. But she still does not believe this process should be taking place, and she says the evidence they are presenting does not directly link Trump to the insurrection.
“If they came out with emails of the instructions that were explicit for them to do that, of course. But they don’t have that. He’s already been removed and we do not need to let this become a political weapon,” said Hyde-Smith.
The Trump legal team will present their arguments beginning Friday. Then senators have a chance to ask questions.
Hyde-Smith says she does not know if she will ask a question.