'BradCast' 1/21/2020 (Impeachment Trial: Rules battle over calling witnesses)
On today's 'BradCast': Special coverage of the historic U.S. Senate Impeachment Trial of President Donald J. Trump, in which Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his caucus did everything in their power to ensure there will not be an actual trial, by blocking evidence, documents and witnesses. We bring you up to date on the proceedings, from pre-trial briefs filed by Democratic U.S. House Managers, who are serving as prosecutors for Trump's two Articles of Impeachment on Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress, and the brief responses filed by Trump's defense team. Tuesday's agenda focused on the adoption of McConnell's proposed rules for the trial, which postponed votes on inclusion of witnesses and documents that had been blocked by the Trump White House until after opening statements and questions from senators. Observers noted McConnell's rules are the opposite of how actual trials are carried out. We share audio from today's terse opening statement by White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, and extended excerpts from lead House Manager Adam Schiff on the unprecedented attempt to exclude all witnesses and documents from a Senate impeachment. No trial in the upper chamber of Congress has lacked witnesses since the founding of our nation. Also today: a massive gun rights demonstration was held on the Martin Luther King Day holiday in Virginia, protesting mild gun safety reforms. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report', with exceedingly disturbing news about record ocean warming, and more...