Can they call McCarthy

[choie]

as a witness?

[mucifer]

1. Judy Woodruff just said yes

[Laelth]

2. Sure.

I see no reason why not.



-Laelth

[BlueNProud]

3. Won't he just lie? There's no consequence if he just lies.

[russiamommy]

5. He'd be under oath

Is he willing to commit perjury?

[BlueNProud]

11. Yes and who will hold him accountable?

half of the judges are in the tank.

[mucifer]

12. Exactly!

[Gore1FL]

6. There are witnesses. He is under oath.

He might lie, but that opens a can of worms.

[BlueNProud]

13. You have more faith in these people and this process than I do.

[grantcart]

4. Guessing defense will call McCarthy and deny the report.

[choie]

7. Very true

Didn’t McCarthy make a trip to Mar a lago to talk with Trump after he was impeached?

[StarfishSaver]

10. I don't think they'll call McCarthy. At least if they're not complete idiots

Bringing McCarthy in leaves him open to being cross-examined by the House managers - which is very different than if the House managers brought him in as their own witness. This could be a disaster for them and him.

[grantcart]

15. What evidence do you have that they aren't complete idiots?

[StarfishSaver]

17. Umm. Well, let's see. There's ... no. Uhhh

I got nuthin.

[C_U_L8R]

8. And subpoena his phone records

And Trump's for that matter. And all his entourage... before, during and after the insurrection.

[StarfishSaver]

9. They can, but I don't think they will - it would probably not be a good idea

He would be what's referred to as a "hostile witness" - meaning he would not cooperate with them. That kind of witness is called only when there's no other way to get the information they have into the record. He could delay things for a long time trying to fight a subpoena, resulting in the process being dragged out for days or even weeks if he goes to court. And once he does testify, the House managers would have no way of knowing what he'll say (they can interview friendly witnesses and know very well how they'll answer questions - hostile witnesses won't talk to them beforehand) and he could really screw things up for them - and that would be his goal.

That's why the move they made is really smart. By calling Herrera Butler, a friendly witness who will cooperate with them, whose testimony they will know in advance, and who will corroborate their case and who can testify about what McCarthy said and did without having to bring McCarthy in, gets them where they need to go with a minimum of risk or hassle.

[lettucebe]

14. If the lawyer can lie, don't see why witnesses cannot also lie, so what's the point here?

This is such a stupid deal. No official rules, just wing-it. Under oath to whom exactly? Would it be considered lying to the Senate? I'm more confused than ever on witnesses being used here.

[StarfishSaver]

18. It is a crime to lie under oath in testimony to the Senate

It would be perjury.

[msfiddlestix]

20. true, but haven't we seen it happen with no consequence? I feel like it has happened in the last

Congress.. but I'm not positive.

[OnDoutside]

16. Brian Tyler Cohen made a great point that you need 51 votes for a witness to be called, so Democrats

need one Republican and Republicans need one Democrat. This should be interesting.

[msfiddlestix]

19. Yes, Defense probably will, but he'll lie, cuz that is what he does.