Today, 100 U.S. Senators were sworn in, one of the most solemn responsibilities entrusted to us by our Constitution. We took the oath to do impartial justice. 100 Senators must determine whether they can set aside their preconceptions and politics to render justice. Individuals who cannot make this commitment must recuse themselves.
A commitment to justice means that the Senate must hold a full trial. The House managers must have a full opportunity to present their case; the president’s defense must have equal opportunity to rebut. Each side must be able to call up the documents and witnesses relevant to their case. Americans deserve a real trial; real trials have documents, witnesses, and opportunity for the truth to be examined.
Now is a moment in which all Senators must put country above party. Our constitutional responsibilities, and the oath we swore today, demand nothing less.
At www.merkley.senate.gov
