Virginia U.S. Rep. Don Beyer issued the following statement today on the conclusion of the Senate impeachment show trial:

“Today Senate Republicans ended their impeachment show trial. It will go down as one of the most craven events in American history.

“Trials have witnesses and evidence, and cover-ups do not. Even Senate Republicans acknowledged that this was not a fair trial. It was rigged to produce the outcome demanded by President Trump.

“The outcome of a show trial does not prove innocence or exonerate. In this case the limited evidence shown to the Senate was so damning even Republicans were forced to admit that President Trump abused his power. They admitted that the House Managers proved their case.

“The big surprise was that for the first time in history the vote to remove a U.S. President from office was bipartisan. Though that vote did not meet the required threshold, Senator Romney made it clear that the claims by Trump, his legal team, and Republicans in Congress that the impeachment process was entirely based on partisan hatred were utterly false. They were based on a mountain of evidence which President Trump could not explain or rebut.

“President Trump abused his power and obstructed Congress. Democrats know it, Republicans know it, and Independents know it. President Trump is guilty.”