The Senate broke out in laughter Saturday after Trump defense attorney Michael van der Veen called for in-person depositions of witnesses in “Philly-delphia.”
House impeachment manager Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) called Saturday to subpoena Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) via Zoom after she issued a statement detailing her claims that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy had a fiery phone call with former President Donald Trump as the violent insurrection was underway at the Capitol Jan. 6.
Herrera Beutler said Trump rebuffed McCarthy’s calls to put an end to the violence. McCarthy pushed back, and Trump responded, “Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are,” Herrera Beutler said.
In response to Raskin’s call to testify, van der Veen called for the trial to end Saturday without witnesses. But if there will be witnesses, he said he will need “over 100 depositions,” including of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“None of these depositions should be done by Zoom. We didn’t do this hearing by Zoom. These depositions should be done in person, in my office, in Philly-delphia,” van der Veen said, to laughter in the chamber.
“I don’t know why you’re laughing,” van der Veen said.
“It is civil process. That is the way lawyers do it,” van der Veen said. “We send notices of deposition.”
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the Senate president pro tempore who is presiding over the trial, called for order in the chamber.
“I haven’t laughed at any of you, and there’s nothing laughable here,” van der Veen said.