Senate impeachment trial: Some doze, do crossword puzzles, while Blackburn takes five for Fox News appearance

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., arrives at the Senate for the start of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., arrives at the Senate for the start of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

NASHVILLE - During the U.S. Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, senators have at times ignored decorum guidelines by talking among themselves, snacking, wandering and possibly dozing during marathon sessions.

But Tuesday night, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, drew the attention of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's communications director, Justin Goodman, when she did a live television interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham while proceedings apparently were ongoing.

Goodman tweeted a picture of a split television screenshot of Blackburn apparently speaking from outside the chamber with conservative host Ingraham as Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, one of the House impeachment managers, held forth inside the chamber from a podium.

"It appears Republican Senator Marcia [sic] Blackburn was just caught doing a live interview on Fox News instead of sitting in the Senate chamber," Goodman wrote.

Blackburn's office had no official comment when contacted later. Efforts to reach Senate Democrats' press office were unsuccessful.

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In an article Thursday on the impeachment trial, Talking Points Memo noted reporters covering the impeachment trial "have noticed a whole host of lawmakers wandering in and out of the chamber during the lengthy days, which earlier this week stretched on until 2 a.m. ET."

Earlier this week, ABC News reported senators broke Senate rules by bringing Apple watches into the chamber, playing games or catching up on emails. The Associated Press reported one Democrat leaned on his right arm, covered his eyes and maintained the position for a half hour. Sen. Rand Paul, according to ABC, could be observed at one point apparently working on a crossword puzzle.

The Talking Points Memo article, meanwhile, notes "nothing in the official Senate impeachment rules forbids it. The rules, dating from March 2, 1868, make little mention of the chamber at all, except to determine that the doors to the Senate should be left open, unless the members are in deliberations."

In their decorum guidance to senators, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, and Schumer, D-New York, issued guidelines saying "senators should plan to be in attendance at all times during the proceedings."

During impeachment proceedings, "standing will not be permitted on the floor and this requirement will be strictly enforced. Accordingly, all Senators are requested to remain in their seats at all times they are on the Senate floor during the impeachment proceedings."

(MORE: Sen. Marsha Blackburn joins Senate GOP effort to dismiss Trump impeachment charges if House doesn't send)

The Talking Points Memo article cited a CNN account noting that Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, spent more time out of his seat than in it Wednesday night. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, was out for a long period, too.

During Blackburn's Tuesday night appearance on Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle" program, the freshman senator, an ardent supporter and defender of Trump, spoke with the host for nearly four minutes.

"I think we probably go to about 1 o'clock [a.m.], quite frankly," Blackburn said. "And I think it's important that we get through this, that we set the resolution, that we hear from the House managers, then we hear from the president's team. We ask our questions and we decide if we want to move forward with this or if we want to move to a summary judgment and move to acquit the president."

At the time, Democrats were trying to convince the Republican majority to include witnesses on the front end in rules governing how the impeachment trial was to proceed. Democrats made 11 separate motions, all of which ultimately were tabled by Republicans, including Blackburn and Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee.

"I've got to tell you, I think, the House managers should begin to realize we are not going to do their job for them," Blackburn said, later adding, "bear in mind, this is not only about in their minds damaging Donald Trump, but it's about removing him and taking him off the ballot."

The senator said Democrats were using the same phrases and words such as "people all being 'in the loop' in some grand scheme and how the president is trying to cheat in the next election.'"

Blackburn later added, "you know those Democrats, they're all going to give you their talking points. As I say, they're the Stepford Wives of liberalism. They will get a point, they will stick to it and they will say it until the cows come home."

Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550. Follow him on Twitter @AndySher1.

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