DENVER — FOX31 political reporter Joe St. George sat down for an exclusive television interview Wednesday with one of the key senators in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump: Colorado Republican Sen. Cory Gardner.
TV EXCLUSIVE: Colorado Senator Cory Gardner talks about the decision to vote to acquit President Trump and when he made the decision. #copolitics #coleg pic.twitter.com/owL7sdtukC
— Joe St. George (@JoeStGeorge) February 5, 2020
Gardner said his decision to acquit the president was “a process over the last several months.”
“Taking my impartiality oath very seriously, it was a decision I made over that time,” Gardner said.
In October, St. George asked Gardner if it was appropriate for the president of the U.S. to ask a foreign leader to investigate a political rival. St. George asked for a “yes or no” answer.
The video quickly went viral with Gardner dodging the question.
Gardner again dodged the question Wednesday.
TV Exclusive: Back on October 11th I asked Sen. Cory Gardner if it was appropriate for the President to ask a foreign leader to investigate a political rival. He did not answer the question then. I asked him the same question today. #copolitics #coleg #impeachment pic.twitter.com/LA8ZKaK2nC
— Joe St. George (@JoeStGeorge) February 5, 2020
“That was not the question we had last night or in this impeachment. What we had was whether the president had the ability to investigate how taxpayer dollars are being spent,” Gardner said.
TV exclusive: I ask Sen. Cory Gardner about precedent. Does his vote to acquit President Trump allow Gardner to ask a foreign leader to investigate John Hickenlooper in Gardner's reelection race? #copolitics #cosen pic.twitter.com/JDtJ5ip0nG
— Joe St. George (@JoeStGeorge) February 5, 2020
St. George asked Gardner about precedent.
“Do you believe this will allow future presidents to do this? Will this allow you to ask a foreign leader to investigate John Hickenlooper?” St. George asked.
“Foreign interference in our elections is absolutely wrong,” Gardner said.
Regarding witnesses, Gardner voted against them. St. George asked why.
“Well we had 17 witnesses I didn’t think we needed an 18th,” Gardner said.
TV Exclusive: 15 previous Impeachment trials in the Senate have had witnesses called. Gardner voted to block witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Trump. I ask why. #copolitics #cosen pic.twitter.com/fRbSJsvgbM
— Joe St. George (@JoeStGeorge) February 5, 2020