Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. said Republicans will call on the FBI to testify about the Jan. 6 Capitol siege if Democrats call witnesses for a Senate impeachment trial against former President Donald Trump.
Graham and several other leading Senate Republicans have argued against impeaching Trump, adding that calling witnesses would be akin to opening a Pandora’s box.
“If you open up that can of worms, we’ll want the FBI to come in and tell us about how people actually preplanned these attacks and what happened with the security footprint at the Capitol,” Graham told Fox News this week.
There is “mounting evidence that 4th people came to Washington and preplanned the attack before the president ever spoke,” Graham said, noting he is “confident” that the majority of Senate Republicans will vote against convicting Trump.
“It will be in the high 40s,” he predicted. “I had a great meeting with Sen. McConnell today, I think every Republican sees the House process as an affront to the presidency and due process,” he added, referencing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has previously hinted that he might support convicting Trump.
The FBI has been conducting an investigation in to the Capitol riot and recently found evidence of a coordinated attack that was planned in advance, according to the Washington Post.
This evidence proves Trump’s speech at the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6 did not “incite” violence.
The impeachment trial is expected to start next week.
Trump recently parted ways with several lawyers who were set to defend him.
On Sunday, David Schoen and Bruce Castor Jr. were announced as Trump’s new head lawyers for the defense.
“Both Schoen and Castor agree that this impeachment is unconstitutional — a fact 45 Senators voted in agreement with last week,” Trump’s team said in a statement.
