Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) fired back at House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler on Wednesday for accusing the Senate of engaging in an “unconstitutional and disgusting cover-up” if it did not permit the introduction of all witnesses in President Donald Trump’s upcoming Senate trial.
“If the Senate doesn’t permit the introduction of all relevant witnesses and of all documents that the House wants to introduce, because the House is the prosecutor here, then the Senate is — is engaging in an unconstitutional and disgusting cover-up,” Nadler, a New York Democrat, said.
Paul responded to the remarks during an interview on Fox News’ “Your World with Neil Cavuto” where he highlighted that Democrats do not really want all relevant witnesses called because that means that Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, would be called to testify.
“Well, it’s kind of interesting,” Paul began. “The comment is that all relevant witnesses. Would he agree that Hunter Biden is relevant, that Joe Biden’s relevant, and that the whistleblower’s relevant?”
“My guess is no. They want all witnesses that they want. And they don’t want any witnesses that the president wants,” Paul continued. “So, I say this. Either allow all witnesses, all witnesses that the president’s defense team deems necessary to their defense, or no witnesses. We’re not going to do a kangaroo court, like they did in the House. The House only produced witnesses that Adam Schiff agreed to.”
“So, I mean, what kind of kangaroo court is it where only the Democrats get to pick the witnesses, and they decide who’s relevant? Paul continued. “So, no, that’s absurd. So, I think the Senate will be more fair. I think both Republicans and Democrats want a more fair-minded presentation. But it’s not going to be — we’re not going to just invite witnesses the Democrats want and say, oh, the president can’t invite witnesses that he think would help him.”
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TRANSCRIPT:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JERROLD NADLER (D-NY): If the Senate doesn’t permit the introduction of all relevant witnesses and of all documents that the House wants to introduce, because the House is the prosecutor here, then the Senate is — is engaging in an unconstitutional and disgusting cover-up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEIL CAVUTO, FOX NEWS ANCHOR: “Unconstitutional and disgusting cover-up,” if they don’t have witnesses.
Senator Rand Paul here to weigh in on that.
Senator, what do you think of that?
SEN. RAND PAUL (R-KY):
CAVUTO: Well, are you then open to witnesses? Let’s say there was a quid pro quo. It’s an overused phrase, but what do you think?
PAUL: You know, I’m either all or none. But I lean more towards none.
Now, I have heard — we have heard the arguments. The arguments were so bad in the House that not one Republican voted for impeachment. I think the arguments aren’t going to change when they bring it over here.
We have heard all the information. They basically are upset that President Trump delayed delivering some foreign aid. Well, I’m of the opinion that foreign aid is unconstitutional, and that it’s unwise to send money to countries when you have to borrow the money from China to send it to Ukraine or any other country.
So, you know, I — I don’t know how they’re going to prove a point to someone like me, who doesn’t believe that foreign aid is constitutional.
So, you know, I think it, at this point, we have heard enough. We’re going to hear the arguments again. But I don’t think one of these Democrats who say they want witnesses will vote to allow Hunter or Joe Biden to come.
And if the president was withholding it because he thought there was corruption involving Hunter Biden and Joe Biden, wouldn’t we want to hear from them, or at least hear about that corruption?
CAVUTO: While I have you, Senator, has there been any blowback for you, when you and Senator Mike Lee of Utah challenged him in his over — use of force maybe and rein him in on the War Powers thing, or is — bygones are bygones?
Where does that all stand?
PAUL: I spoke with the president personally about the War Powers Act this week. He understands that I have a very strong philosophic position.
That didn’t start with President Trump. It really started with my objection to Truman. I wasn’t quite around at the time, but a lot of us objected to Truman taking us to the Korean War without a declaration. We objected to LBJ and Nixon in the Vietnam War without a declaration.
But we also object to being in Afghanistan for 20 years without re-voting about whether we should be there. Same with Iraq. We’re there 20 years later or 18 years later. And then the administration comes to us and says, oh, we can kill an Iranian general because Congress gave us permission to get rid of Saddam Hussein in 2002.
That is insulting to the Constitution. And he understands that there’s this big philosophic debate.
But I also say in the same breath that I think that President Trump has shown restraint, and I don’t think he does want a larger war. I think he, more than any recent president — that includes Obama and the Bushes — has really wanted to get us out of these wars.
He hasn’t quite done it, but I think his desires are sincere. And I continue to encourage him that now, more than any, we’re at a position of strength. Soleimani is dead. Their — the ringmaster for terrorism is dead. Now is a good time to come home.
The Iraqi parliament has shown their disdain. We liberated them three times. We liberated them from Saddam Hussein, from the Sunni extremists in 2007, and then from ISIS.
CAVUTO: Well, as you know, they’re fighting us. They’re fighting us in our troop presence there.
PAUL: Yes. Yes.
CAVUTO: Would you be telling the president —
PAUL: Time to come home.
CAVUTO: — all right, then leave now?
PAUL: That’s my advice to the president, both public and private. Bring them home. The people are ready. Americans are ready.
The Iranian — the Iraqi government is disdainful of us liberating them three times? Let them fight the next time.
So, yes, I’m ready to bring them home. Bring them home. We spend — we spend so much money — we spend $50 billion in Afghanistan. That would pave 9,000 miles of six-lane interstate — 9,000 miles every year of six-lane interstate.
Let’s spend that money at home and quit wasting it overseas.
They were killing each other before we got there, they’ll be killing each other after we leave.
CAVUTO: Rand Paul, thank you very much. Good catching up with you.
PAUL: Thank you.
CAVUTO: Senator Rand Paul.