Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) on Thursday was caught flashing a large grin before lamenting the transfer of two impeachment articles to the Senate as a “solemn, serious moment” in an interview with MSNBC.
Harris, who recently ended her ill-fated presidential campaign, is seen smiling at someone in the room before host Kasie Hunt questions her about the Senate’s upcoming impeachment trial against President Donald Trump. Once she realizes she is on a live shot, Harris’ demeanor swiftly changes. “This is a solemn, serious moment,” she says of the impeachment process. “These are the most serious charges brought in the history of our country against a president.”
“The moment we just experienced I think is highlighting the importance of doing impartial justice and taking seriously the importance of listening to the evidence and the importance of receiving evidence,” Harris then says of the swearing-in of senators as jurors in the upper-chamber.
“If the Senate does not conduct a fair trial, then we can begin to talk about the end of our democracy.” @KamalaHarris discusses the Senate impeachment trial with @Kasie, calls for witnesses to be included pic.twitter.com/t04I1LyISe
— Kasie DC (@KasieDC) January 16, 2020
Since launching a formal impeachment inquiry in September, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has repeatedly referred to the effort as “solemn” and “prayerful.”
“This is a very sad time for our country,” Pelosi said of the process in a recent sit-down interview with the Texas Tribune. “This is no joy in this. We must be somber, we must be prayerful.”
However, the Speaker was all smiles following Wednesday’s signing ceremony of the articles, handing out commemorative pens to fellow Democrat lawmakers.
Speaker Pelosi: “This is a very sad time for our country. There is no joy in this. We must be somber. We must be prayerful. … I’m heartbroken”
Odd. Speaker Pelosi doesn’t look “somber” “heartbroken” “prayerful” as she signs @realDonaldTrump articles of impeachment. pic.twitter.com/DMWMt0Cd1K
— IWV (@IWV) January 15, 2020
Nancy Pelosi has souvenir pens emblazoned with her signature that she’s using to sign the articles of impeachment pic.twitter.com/Xte3yH45vj
— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) January 15, 2020
Earlier in the day, she named the seven House Democrats who will serve as impeachment managers in the Senate trial, selecting: House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), and Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Val Demings (D-FL), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Jason Crow (D-CO), and Sylvia Garcia (D-TX). Schiff will take on the role of lead impeachment manager.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said this week that “in all likelihood,” the trial will begin next Tuesday.
“We’ll be able to go through some preliminary steps here this week, which could well include the Chief Justice coming over and swearing-in members of the Senate and some other kind of housekeeping measures…which would set us up to begin the actual trial next Tuesday,” McConnell told reporters during a press conference.
