Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, says she asked Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to reprimand Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., for accusing senators of participating in a cover-up while he was trying to convince them to call witnesses in the Senate impeachment trial.
Collins wrote a note to Roberts moments before he admonished the House impeachment managers and President Trump's defense team, the Hill reported.
Collins revealed in an interview that she wrote a note asking Roberts to make sure that the Senate rules on unsettling comments apply to the House Judiciary Committee chairman. The rule strikes any words from a senator that impute a colleague.
Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski told reporters that "as one who is listening attentively and working hard to get to a fair process, I was offended."
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Collins recalled her reaction to Nadler's rant.
"Well, I was stunned by Congressman Nadler's approach, and it reminded me that if we were in a normal debate in the Senate that the rule will be invoked to strike the words of the senator, for imputing another senator in this case," she said. "So I did write a note raising the issue of whether there had been a violation of the rules of the Senate.
"And I gave that note to Laura Dove, and, well, shortly thereafter the chief justice did admonish both sides, and I was glad that he did."
Collins is one of several Republican senators that Democrats hope will join them in voting for witnesses and new evidence, which requires a simple majority of 51 votes.
Republicans have 53 seats in the Senate. Conviction of the president requires a supermajority of 67 votes.