Unless you live under a rock, your news feed over the past few weeks has likely been a constant stream of impeachment news. In December, President Donald Trump was impeached by the House on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. This ruling followed allegations that Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and other political opponents by withholding $400 million in military assistance and blocking a White House meeting. In January, after the House voted to impeach Trump, the case moved to the Senate, where prosecution and defense teams deliberated over removing Trump from office. On February 5th, Trump was acquitted, ensuring that he will remain in office for the time being. I had the incredible opportunity to attend Trump’s impeachment trial. All headlines aside, here is what it’s like to sit on the floor of the Senate Chamber and witness history being made.
I have a friend who interns in Senator Bernie Sanders’ office who got me and another friend expedited passes for the Senate Gallery. After picking up the passes in Sanders’ office we were escorted to the Chamber. To get there, we rode on the United States Capitol Subway System, which snakes beneath the US Capitol and is only open to members of Congress or staffers on Capitol Hill. Our train car was uncovered and tiny, only seating four people. In under a minute we traveled between the Dirksen Senate Office Building and the Capitol Building, where the Senate Chamber is located. We were greeted by swarms of reporters there to cover the trial. Suddenly, amidst these professionals, I wished I were wearing more than my college-student attire, but my Converse would have to do.
Unlike the placid room shown on television, the Senate Chamber is an incredibly busy place. Chief Justice Roberts sits at the front, presiding over the crowd. The prosecution and defense teams sit at long tables, whispering furiously and passing papers. The senators sit in clumps of desks, divided down the middle between Democrats and Republicans. They listen to the speaker, take notes, eat snacks, and get up to stretch every once in a while. I witnessed Senator Lindsey Graham (R) of South Carolina engrossed in a crossword puzzle. Senator Mitt Romney (R) of Utah stood up and paced. Senator Bernie Sanders (D) of Vermont looked pained as each allegation was reviewed. Pages, or high school juniors, appointed and sponsored by each senator, rush around the chamber, delivering correspondence and glasses of water to the senators. Up in the gallery where we sat, a constant stream of spectators came and went, ushered in and out by security guards. It was hard to focus on the speaker with so much happening all at once.
After two hours in the Chamber, my friend and I were ushered out. We gathered our belongings from security and left the Capitol Building. Knowing that just minutes ago, I had sat in a room with some of the most influential people in the world discussing Trump’s impeachment felt incredibly surreal. It also made everything more palpable. Like most Americans following the impeachment trial, I was reading articles and watching short clips on Youtube. However, I felt distant from the investigation; it felt like another inaccessible debate happening behind closed doors. Attending the trial in person shocked me into an understanding of the gravity of the situation. I was reminded that every one of us is affected by the conduct of our president and his posse, even if we don’t always have a front-row seat to the action. He has permanently affected the United States as well as Ukraine, two countries that placed trust in him. This realization is even more paramount in light of Trump’s acquittal. While he will remain in office, Trump is not off the hook.
You have heard his story. Now it’s time to step up and vote. Do your part to change the narrative.
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Photos: 1 (author), 2