Trial comes to standstill, Roberts NOT amused when he reads Elizabeth Warren’s low-blow question

(Image: CNN screenshot)

Sen. Elizabeth Warren created an awkward moment in the Senate impeachment trial when Chief Justice John Roberts read aloud her submitted question targeting his legitimacy and that of the Supreme Court.

The Massachusetts Democrat and 2020 contender quickly came under fire, even by members of the liberal media, for her odd attempt to jab Republicans while asking the Chief Justice presiding over the impeachment trial to be critical of himself.


(Source: PBS NewsHour/YouTube)

During the question-and-answer portion of the trial on Thursday, Warren submitted a question read aloud by Roberts who will be providing the deciding vote on whether to call witnesses in the proceedings.

“At a time when large majorities of Americans have lost faith in government, does the fact that the Chief Justice is presiding over an impeachment trial in which Republican senators have thus far refused to allow witnesses or evidence contribute to the loss of legitimacy of the Chief Justice, the Supreme Court, and the Constitution?” Roberts read from the card before him.

He followed with a long, hard stare toward Warren as he awaited a response that soon came from impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff.

“I would not say that it contributes to a loss of confidence in the chief justice,” Schiff said. “I think the chief justice has presided admirably.”

“I don’t think a trial without witnesses reflects adversely on the chief justice; I do think it reflects adversely on us. I think it diminishes the power of this example to the rest of the world,” the California Democrat added.

“I think a fair trial matters,” he concluded his response to Warren. “And yes senator, if they don’t get that fair trial, it will just further a cynicism that is corrosive to this institution and to our democracy.”

CNN’s Erin Burnett referred to the “moment” on the air as the “Erin Burnett OutFront” panel followed with a rebuke of Warren for crossing the line and unfairly using Roberts as a “vehicle.”

“There was that extra moment when he was done reading that question that I thought was just significant. Hard to tell. He doesn’t — he doesn’t let anything show on his face, but it seemed meaningful to him,” Burnett said.


(Source: CNN via MRC)

“I would think that it would and in some ways, he is being used as a vehicle because he has no choice but to read the words,” NYU School of Law professor and co-editor-in-chief of Just Security, Ryan Goodman, said. “So it made for that moment. So I thought it was right for what Adam Schiff did to try to then bolster him in a certain sense because I don’t think that’s necessarily playing fair for him to be put into that situation.”

He added that, with the possibility of Roberts deciding on a potential tie vote over witnesses, Warren’s ill-advised question “didn’t play well and the real question is like now what will his role otherwise be because we shouldn’t put him into that kind of a position.”

CNN political commentator Scott Jennings slammed Warren’s question as “ridiculous.”

“That was a question written by someone who’s running for president who doesn’t know any other way except to sort of be, you know, I thought rather vicious in the way she was raising the specter of his illegitimacy,” he said. “I agree with the way Schiff answered it, by the way. I thought he handled it perfectly and I thought that question was out of bounds.”

Even liberal political commentator Joe Lockhart slammed Warren’s move.

“I agree. I don’t think — I think it put him in a very tough position, and it didn’t do the Democrats any favors by putting him in that position,” he said of Roberts. “He’s going to make up his mind based on what he thinks.”

The reaction on Twitter did not bode well for Warren either, with many condemning her stunt and some wondering how she, and other senators running for president, are allowed to weigh in on a trial involving their opponent.

 

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.
Frieda Powers

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

BPR INSIDER COMMENTS

Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!

Latest Articles