Many local folks say Senate should have called witnesses in President Trump trial

Folks weighed in on President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial last week. When asked whether the Senate should allow witnesses or not, most folks said the legislative branch should have called witnesses, but a few figure the president didn’t do enough to be impeached anyway.

“I keep abreast of the news by reading, so I know generally what’s happening, but I don’t watch the day-to-day news because I find it repetitive and upsetting,” said Bestsy Paugh of Martin City while drinking coffee and reading a newspaper at Uptown Hearth.

“I do. I think they should allow witnesses,” said Matthew Bussard of Whitefish, who was serving coffee to the Hearth’s patrons at the time.

“Yes. It just seems fair,” said Becca Stohr of Hungry Horse.

“Yes,” said Kurt Hertrich of Columbia Falls while getting lunch at the Nite Owl. “A trial without witnesses is not a trial. If the Senate is afraid of witnesses, what are they afraid of? Witnesses are supposed to bring justice.”

“I don’t know. I don’t keep up with a lot of that,” said David Sizemore of Kalispell, who was also getting lunch at the restaurant.

“Yes. He should be impeached. He’s a con. He’s a terrible person. He’s not somebody I’d want my children to look up to,” said Mike Yelinek of Columbia Falls, who was also at the Nite Owl.

“Yes. I think they should, too,” said Dustin Webster, who was having lunch with Yelinek at the time. “But are they going to? Probably not.”

“They already voted to allow some. I don’t know how many. I haven’t been following it too much to be honest. I thought the house already had some, so I’m not too worried about it either way,” said Roger McFadden, a lifelong resident of Columbia Falls. “I’ve already made up my mind on which way it should go. I know he won’t be impeached, and I don’t think he did anything bad enough to be impeached.”

The Republican-controlled Senate was expected to acquit the president on charges of alleged abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. At the heart of the case against him is the allegation that Trump withheld military aid and a White House meeting to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, who served on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company. Joe Biden was vice president at the time that Hunter Biden was on the board.

House Democrats have maintained that Trump’s actions were an impeachable offense.

Republicans have maintained that while Trump’s action may have been inappropriate, they do not rise to the level of impeachment.