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Impeachment Trial Redux

Senate page hands question to parliamentarian

The second impeachment trial of now former president Trump took but five days, four of which are documented in these few sketches. Access to the Senate gallery was restricted because of the COVID19 pandemic which meant that we were rotated in for about twenty minutes every couple hours or so. Nevertheless the staff of the Radio-TV gallery were incredibly helpful and accommodating as always. I just hope to never sketch another impeachment.

One third of GOP seats empty during House managers’ args

Sen. Hawley ( feet up? )

House manager Rep. Swalwell and Republican senators

Senators Burr ( no socks ) and Fischer

Empty public gallery

Senators Cassidy ( taking notes ) and Cruz

Lindsey Graham has first GOP question

GOP Senator Braun reading magazine during House managers’ closing argument.

Trump defense attorney Michael Van Der Veen and House manager Stacy Plaskett shortly before announcement of stipulation on witness.

Senators huddle following vote to allow witnesses.

 

Senate Impeachment Sketches, Part II

Here are the final sketches from the Trump impeachment trial, plus a few from the State of the Union the night before the final vote, created on assignment for the New York They appear with commentary on the NYT site here.

Correction: These are not actually the cubbyholes used by senators, those are in the cloakrooms.

 

 

 

Senate Impeachment Sketches, Part I

These sketches of the Trump impeachment trial were created on assignment for the New York Times and appear, with commentary, on its website here.

The sketches below are from the previous week’s oath taking by the Senators and Chief Justice.

 

 

Turkey in the Straw

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In the late seventies, during one of those end of the term marathon sessions of congress, then majority leader Senator Byrd invited members of the press to his office for an early morning briefing at the conclusion of which the Senator, wearing a bright red vest, picked up his fiddle and bowed a hot “Turkey in the Straw”.  I wish I could find that sketch.

The above sketch shows Senator Byrd during the Clinton Senate Impeachment trial in 1999.

RIP Senator Byrd

Sen. Stevens’ Reversal of Fortune

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In a stunning about-face prosecutors in the trial of Sen. Ted Stevens found themselves subject to criminal contempt proceedings.  As he dismissed the indictment against the former Alaska senator, an outraged Judge Emmett Sullivan appointed a non-government lawyer, Janis, Schuelke & Wechsler partner Henry Schuelke III, to prosecute the prosecutors.
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Nightly News aired the story with sketches, but as usual some of the better drawings are never used. Here’s one of Stevens’ defense attorney Brendan Sullivan addressing the Judge at yesterday’s hearing. Ted Stevens is lightly sketched in the left background.

WaPo story here.