NBC News contributor Hugh Hewitt argues that Senate shouldn’t hold Trump impeachment trial because “victims ought never to be jurors”
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From the February 11, 2021, edition of Salem Radio Network’s The Hugh Hewitt Show
HUGH HEWITT (HOST): Chuck Todd and I discussed it yesterday on NBC, and you are often on Meet the Press as I am with Chuck. And we have a fundamental disagreement that I don't think the media is doing the country a good service by failing to present the arguments against this trial and the way it's proceeding. The number one of which — victims ought never to be jurors, and observers on the scene ought not to be analysts, because they are emotionally involved in that. Do you think that's gone commented on? I don't even know how a juror sits in this right now.
MATT CONTINETTI (RESIDENT FELLOW, AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE): Yeah, and I think you can look at some of the Republicans and see how that even they are disturbed by what they're doing. Unfortunately, when the trial is taking place the scene of the crime — the mob targeted the elected officials of the United States while they were performing their constitutional duty — there's no way, I think, of getting out of that situation.
HEWITT: There is, a motion of censure would have done so. Or a decision to allow prosecution for incitement to the DC authorities, which would be constitutional. There were alternatives to what is, I think a damaging process.