Senators to practice rules of decorum during impeachment proceedings

Senators are used to standing up and giving floor speeches in front of cameras that usually make for good clips for campaign ads, but during President Trump’s impeachment trial they must remain in their seats and keep quiet.

There will be no cell phones or electronics allowed and the only time senators may stand is when Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts, Jr. enters and exits the chamber under the rules for decorum sent out to members, according to a Senate Republican Leadership aide.

“Members should refrain from speaking to neighboring Senators while the case is being presented,” read one of the guidelines.

The senators, who are acting as jurors during the trial, are also are not permitted to have other reading material before them that is unrelated to the impeachment case.

They have been told to be in attendance at all times for the duration of the proceedings.

It is expected the House impeachment managers who will be prosecuting the case and the senators will all be sworn in by the Chief Justice on Thursday, but the actual trial will not begin until Tuesday next week.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, told reporters Tuesday his conference is taking the charges seriously, dismissing allegations from Democrats the Republican-controlled chamber would immediately move to dismiss the case.

“Senators can’t say anything, so they will have to sit there and listen — to listen carefully to the arguments by both the prosecution and the defense, to follow that up with rewritten questions submitted to the Chief Justice, and that means listening to the case not dismissing the case,” Mr. McConnell said.

Other decorum guides for senators include:

- Communicating with Senate pages to relay messages outside of the chamber and to the Chief Justice.

- Standing at seats to cast votes, should a roll call vote be required.

- Referring to the Chief Justice as “Mr. Chief Justice.”

- Remaining in their seats so as not to come between the Chief Justice and the legal counsel arguing the case.

- To only use one entrance to the chamber, which is a change for the lawmakers who usually have a number of different doors to choose from when entering and exiting the chamber during regular Senate votes.