As Senate Is Sworn In For Trial, Merkley Urges All Senators to Uphold Their Oaths

Thursday, January 16, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, on the floor of the U.S. Senate, all 100 Senators were sworn in for the impeachment trial of President Donald J. Trump with an oath to “do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws.” Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the swearing-in:

“Today, the Senate undertakes one of the most solemn responsibilities entrusted to us by the Constitution.

“All of us have now taken the oath to do impartial justice in this trial. And at this moment, all 100 Senators must search their hearts and determine whether they can set aside their preconceptions and personal politics to render justice in this trial. Any individuals who cannot make this commitment in good faith must recuse themselves.

“A commitment to justice means that the Senate must hold a full and fair trial. That means that the House managers must have a full opportunity to present their case, and that the President’s defense must have an equal opportunity to present their rebuttal. And each side must have the ability to call up the documents and witnesses that are relevant to their case. Real trials have documents and witnesses; cover-ups don’t.

“Now is a moment in which all Senators must put country above party. Our constitutional responsibilities, and the oath we swore today, demand nothing less.”