Impeachment trial of Trump is ‘partisan theater,’ Texas Sen. Ted Cruz says

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Mary Dimitrov
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Sen. Ted Cruz said Thursday that the Democrats’ request that former President Donald Trump testify at his own impeachment trial next week is “partisan theater.”

“It’s time to move on,” the Texas Republican said.

House impeachment managers asked that Trump testify at his Senate trial, but the former president rejected the request.

Trump was impeached by the Democratic-run House in January for “inciting an insurrection.” His trial is scheduled to begin Tuesday.

Cruz, an attorney who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said if Trump testified it would only fuel what he views as a distraction from real issues.

“I think this is an exercise of partisan retribution. And we’re facing a global pandemic. Tens of millions of Americans are out of work,” he said Thursday. “We should be focused on helping people get back to work and not on a petty and partisan effort to attack President [Trump].”

Asked about bringing a sense of closure for the American people, Cruz said that the peaceful inauguration of President Joe Biden was enough.

Cruz insisted that Trump’s impeachment trial isn’t about closure.

“I think that just shows that what they’re looking for is a show trial. This is all about partisanship,” he said. “For four years the Democratic Party has been defined by hatred for Donald J. Trump.”

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