McSally calls CNN reporter “liberal hack” for asking about new impeachment evidence
Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) called CNN's Manu Raju a "liberal hack" and refused to answer a question about whether the Senate should consider a trove of additional evidence as part of the pending impeachment trial of President Trump.
The exchange:
RAJU: Senator McSally, should the Senate consider new evidence as part of the impeachment trial?
MCSALLY: You’re a liberal hack. I’m not talking to you.
RAJU: You’re not going to comment?
MCSALLY: You're a liberal hack.
Driving the news: The House Intelligence Committee released a batch of new evidence this week obtained from indicted Giuliani associate Lev Parnas, who claimed in an interview on MSNBC Wednesday night that President Trump "knew exactly what was going on" with respect to the pressure campaign Giuliani was leading in Ukraine.
The big picture: Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are facing questions about impeachment witnesses and evidence as the Senate trial is set to kick off later Thursday. McSally, who represents a swing state and faces a tough re-election bid in 2020, is one of the senators who could face pressure from constituents to vote in favor of calling witnesses.
- A recent poll showed McSally down 4% to her Democratic challenger Mark Kelly, an astronaut and the husband of former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot during a town hall in Tucson in 2011.
- Kelly raised $6.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2019, bringing his total fundraising haul for the year to more than $20 million. McSally raised $4 million in Q4, for a total of $12 million for the year.
Go deeper: Lev Parnas: "Trump knew exactly what was going on" in Ukraine
Editor’s note: This post has been corrected to show that Gabrielle Giffords was shot in 2011 (not 2014).