Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley derided by critics for 'ignoring' impeachment testimony

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., was criticized for his actions of indifference on Wednesday during the impeachment trial for Donald Trump.

The freshman senator, who has sworn to be an impartial juror for the trial, appeared to be a spectator.

Hawley was “sitting up in the gallery with his feet up on the seat in front of him, reviewing paperwork, throughout” the proceedings, Garrett Haake of NBC News said in a tweet.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) who helped to incite the insurrection is ignoring the impeachment trial with his feet up and reading unrelated material. pic.twitter.com/dBPEzsSFaO

— PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) February 10, 2021

The other 99 senators were seated at their desks on the Senate floor, except for Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the president pro tempore of the chamber, who is presiding over the trial.

Hawley claimed the Senate floor felt “claustrophobic.”

“Not that I don’t like my colleagues,” the first-term senator told NBC News, adding that he sat apart so “we’re not elbow-to-elbow. I feel I had a little bit better view.”

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley — who objected to Biden’s win and encouraged the Capitol attack — is currently sat with his feet up in the Senate gallery. Not once has he paid attention to the impeachment trial.

— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) February 10, 2021

Hawley, who voted on Monday that the trial was unconstitutional, told CNN he doesn’t think Congress has any jurisdiction to impeach Trump for his alleged role in inciting the deadly riots at the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Sen. Josh Hawley insisted to me he was paying attention when sitting in the upstairs gallery and while reading a stack of documents from his manilla folder. He said he was reading legal briefs in the case. He's the lone senator sitting in the upstairs gallery.

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 10, 2021

“I don’t think it’s going to change any minds,” Hawley said.

There is no video that House Managers can show that will make Joshua Hawley feel anything.

— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) February 10, 2021

It is clear to me that as soon as this trial is over, Josh Hawley should be at minimum censured, along with Ted Cruz.

— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) February 10, 2021

I would have loved a Democrat saying, "Look up in the gallery. Josh Hawley is ignoring his constitutional duty to listen to the evidence, to pander to the type of people who rioted in this building, just as he ignored his duty to certify the vote to pander to those same people."

— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) February 11, 2021