A large bloc of Republican Senators reportedly skipped large portions of Wednesday’s impeachment trial, flouting Senate rules requiring them to remain in their seats at all times during the proceedings, according to journalist Michael McAuliff.

“Just counted 21 empty seats on the GOP side of the Senate, 2 on the Dem side, a couple hours into [Adam] Schiff’s presentation. Some are just stretching their legs, but most are not in the chamber. Some of them have been out of there for a while,” McAuliff said.

Just counted 21 empty seats on the GOP side of the Senate, 2 on the Dem side, a couple hours into Schiff's presentation. Some are just stretching their legs, but most are not in the chamber. Some of them have been out of there for a while. — Michael McAuliff (@mmcauliff) January 22, 2020

That means more than one-third of 53 Republican senators tasked with deciding the president’s fate all missed the same segment of the historic trial. Among those absent from the action “for a long time” were Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La), and Jim Risch (R-Idaho).

Couldn't see when lot of people left, but Graham, Cassidy and Risch were all out for a long time. Graham scooted back when Schiff was talking about Zelensky cancelling the CNN interview. — Michael McAuliff (@mmcauliff) January 22, 2020

While Graham had already publicly stated his belief that the impeachment proceedings were a sham–and backed a plan to have the charges against President Doanld Trump dismissed with a pre-trial motion–Sen. Cassidy on Tuesday said he planned to “listen to both sides with an open mind” before reaching a decision.

Wednesday marked the second time Sen. Risch missed a significant portion of the proceedings, as he became the first senator to fall asleep during the trial Tuesday, napping for approximately 15 minutes, according to the Washington Post.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-Calif.) last week penned a letter to their colleagues outlining the rules for the proceeding, writing that “Senators should plan to be in attendance at all times during the proceedings,” and should “remain in their seats at all times they are on the Senate floor during the impeachment proceedings.”

Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer write a letter to senators outlining access procedures in the upcoming Senate impeachment trial. pic.twitter.com/TZHCkdowdN — Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) January 15, 2020

Yahoo News Senior Political Correspondent Jon Ward also noted the absence of the chamber’s GOP members.

Gillibrand was the one Dem I saw standing in the back, as a number of Republicans were doing. But then Republicans started leaving. I'm not in chamber now so I don't know how long they were out. — Jon Ward (@jonward11) January 22, 2020

“Regardless of where one stands (or sits) on the matter, it is a sad state of government that any Senator, absent some legitimate reason of course, is shirking their legislative/constitutional duties which they have been elected by the people to uphold,” wrote national security lawyer Mark Zaid, one of the attorneys representing the Ukraine whistleblower whose complaint sparked the impeachment inquiry.

Regardless of where one stands (or sits) on the matter, it is a sad state of govt that any Senator, absent some legitimate reason of course, is shirking their legislative/constitutional duties which they have been elected by the people to uphold. https://t.co/MlkL2XBuNy — Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) January 22, 2020

Attorneys Bradley P. Moss (Zaid’s law partner) and Susan Hennessey (Lawfare’s Executive Editor) also noted the absurdity of those acting as “jurors” not being in attendance during the presentation of arguments.

Only in the United States Senator can "jurors" get to stand up and walk out during the prosecution's presentation of its case. https://t.co/KdV5SrmVNt — Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) January 22, 2020

How is this acceptable? https://t.co/JF4d4EFqjZ — Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) January 22, 2020

[image via Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images]

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