Associated Press
In this image from video, presiding officer Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts speaks during the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020. (Senate Television via AP)
- Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts took the rare step of verbally admonishing both sides for their language as deliberations over rules for Trump's impeachment trial dragged late into the night
- In a heated exchange, an impeachment manager accused Republicans of voting for a "cover-up," with the White House counsel saying Nadler "should be embarrassed" for how he addressed the Senate.
- Roberts made a rare interjection into the proceedings. "At this point, I think it is appropriate for me to admonish both sides...in equal terms to remember they are addressing the world's greatest deliberative body," he said.
- He continued: "One reason it has earned that title is because its members avoid speaking in a manner and using language that is not conducive to civil discourse."
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As the Senate debate over the rules surrounding President Donald Trump's impeachment trial dragged into the early morning on Wednesday, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts took the rare step of verbally admonishing both sides for their language.
Roberts made the remarks at about 1 a.m. EST after a spat between impeachment manager Rep. Jerry Nadler and White House counsel Pat Cipollone, who is leading Trump's defense.
In a heated exchange at about 12:30 a.m., Nadler accused Republicans of voting for a "cover-up," calling their vote against a resolution to subpoena documents and call for witness testimony "treacherous."
Cipollone then shot back, accusing Nadler of making "false accusations" and saying, "The only one who should be embarrassed is you, Mr. Nadler, for the way you've addressed this body."
Shortly after, Roberts made a rare interjection into the proceedings. "At this point, I think it is appropriate for me to admonish both sides...in equal terms to remember they are addressing the world's greatest deliberative body," he said.
"One reason it has earned that title is because its members avoid speaking in a manner and using language that is not conducive to civil discourse," he continued. Roberts then cited a 1905 Senate trial in which the presiding manager said the word "pettifogging," which in the Chief Justice's telling, "ought not to have been used."
"I don't think we need to aspire to that high a standard, but those addressing the Senate should remember where they are," Roberts said.
In the wake of the remarks, Google searches for the word "pettifogging" immediately spiked. Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the obscure word as "old-fashioned worrying too much about details that are minor or not important."
Both the impeachment managers and Trump's lawyers spent nearly twelve hours debating and voting on the trial's rules on Tuesday, with opening arguments set to begin early Wednesday afternoon.
Roberts is currently splitting his time between hearing oral arguments in cases being argued before the Supreme Court in the mornings and presiding over the impeachment trial in the afternoons and evenings.
Under the rules the Senate passed late in the night, seven House impeachment managers and Trump's defense team, each have 24 hours to present opening arguments. After several marathon days of opening arguments, Senators will then vote on whether to subpoena additional documents or call witnesses to testify.
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Chief Justice John Roberts scolded House impeachment managers and White House counsel for their lack of decorum early this morning https://t.co/njfUAb55Kg pic.twitter.com/kjlVe6lEIs
- POLITICO (@politico) January 22, 2020