Speed Reads

Trump impeachment trial

Chief Justice Roberts succinctly steamrolls Rand Paul's impeachment question — again

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has been foiled again.

To ask questions in the Senate's impeachment trial of President Trump, senators have to write them down and submit them to Chief Justice John Roberts for him to read. That proved a problem for Paul on Wednesday when he asked a question naming an alleged whistleblower who sparked Trump's impeachment; Roberts refused to read it. So after insisting Thursday morning he'd get his questioned answered, Paul sent it in again, and received a repeat response.

Immediately after being denied, Paul exited the Senate chamber and tweeted an explanation of what he apparently wanted to ask.

He then complained that he received no rationale for why his question was rejected this time around, and then read that question, which named the alleged whistleblower, to the press.