Senate chaplain PRAYS for civility as impeachment trial opens after Chief Justice John Roberts rebuked House managers and Donald Trump’s defense for ugly late-night clashes
- Senate Chaplain Barry Black opened the second day of Donald Trump’s impeachment trial with a plea for civility
- ‘Give them a civility built upon integrity that brings consistency in their beliefs and actions,’ he said in his opening prayer
- His remarks followed Chief Justice John Roberts’ reprimand of the each sides’ impeachment managers in the early morning hours
- Roberts reminded the managers to stay civil as they were addressing the ‘world’s greatest deliberative body’
- Black is the first African American Senate chaplain and is a retired Navy Admiral
Senate Chaplain Barry Black opened the second day of Donald Trump’s impeachment trial with a plea for civility, asking senators to remember ‘words have consequences.’
He also asked God to give the lawmakers ‘civility’ as opening arguments begin in the president’s trial on two charges of impeachment.
His prayer follows a reprimand from the Chief Justice John Roberts, delivered in the late hours of Tuesday night after Republicans voted down a series of Democratic amendments in party-line votes and words between the two sides grew sharper.
Senate Chaplain Barry Black – with Chief Justice John Roberts standing behind him – opened the second day of Donald Trump’s impeachment trial with a plea for civility
Black’s words followed a reprimand Chief Justice John Roberts delivered in the early morning hours
Roberts offered a reminder to both sides that ‘they are addressing the world’s greatest deliberative body.’
His appeal for civility was taken up by Black, 71, a retired Navy chaplain who was elected to the Senate post in June 2003 and is the first African American to hold the position.
‘Sovereign god, author of liberty, we gather in this historic chamber for the solemn responsibility of these impeachment proceedings,’ Black intoned in his opening prayer Wednesday morning as Roberts stood behind him with his head bowed.
‘Give wisdom to the distinguished Chief Justice John Roberts, as he presides. Lord, you are all powerful and know our thoughts before we form them. As our lawmakers have become jurors, remind them of your admonition in First Corinthians 10:31, that whatever they do should be done for your glory. Help them remember that patriots reside on both sides of the aisle, that words have consequences and that how something is said can be as important as what is said. Give them a civility built upon integrity that brings consistency in their beliefs and actions. We pray in your powerful name, amen,’ Black concluded.
His words followed Tuesday’s marathon first day where arguments over the trial’s procedures went on until after 1 a.m.
As the night wore on and the votes piled up, the impeachment managers – what the Democratic prosecutors are called – and Trump’s legal counsel got snippy.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerold Nadler of New York scolded Republicans at one point: ‘The question is whether the Senate will be complicit in the president’s crimes by covering this up?’
He accused Senate Republicans of participating in ‘a treacherous vote’ he said was ‘against an honest consideration of the evidence against the president. A vote against an honest trial. A vote against the United States.’
The president’s lawyers responded furiously, with Pat Cipollone retorting: ‘The only one who should be embarrassed Mr. Nadler, is you, for the way you addressed the United States Senate.’
The fireworks brought the first public rebuke by Roberts – who rapped both sides.
‘I think it is appropriate at this point for me to admonish both the House managers and president’s counsel in equal terms to remember that they are addressing the world’s greatest deliberative body,’ said the chief justice, presiding over the chamber in his black robe at nearly 1am.
Donald Trump’s impeachment trial is on day two in the Senate
Barry Black is the first African American Senate chaplain and is a retired Navy Admiral
Roberts reminded members to ‘avoid speaking in a manner and using language that is not conducive to civil discourse.’
He cited a 1905 case that brought a ruling against using the term ‘pettifogging’ – or stressing petty details – and said that ‘those addressing the Senate should remember where they are.’
It was a noteworthy moment given that Roberts had spent the preceding 12 hours sticking to legislative procedure, which included recognizing speakers on the floor and formally calling for a vote to start.
Black, meanwhile, has gotten political in his prayers before.
In the 2013 government shutdown, he gained wide spread attention when he lectured lawmakers through is prayers.
‘Deliver us from the hypocrisy of attempting to sound reasonable while being unreasonable,’ he prayed as the shutdown began.
As the 16-day shut down chugged on, Black’s appeals to God became more and more pointed.
‘Remove from them that stubborn pride which imagines itself to be above and beyond criticism,’ he asked God of the lawmakers. ‘Forgive them the blunders they have committed.’
‘It’s time for our lawmakers to say ‘Enough is enough,” he said on day nine of the shutdown.
His prayers garnered the notice of ‘Saturday Night Live,’ which included him as a character in one of their sketches for the October 12, 2013 show.
Kenan Thompson portrayed Black and prayed: ‘Lord, bless and forgive these braying jackasses,’ adding: ‘May they find themselves in a restroom stall devoid of toilet paper.’
Black retired from the Navy in 2003 with the rank of rear admiral and ended his career as chief of chaplains of the United States Navy.
He is the first Seventh Day Adventist chaplain to hold the Senate post.
He is the 62nd chaplain of the United States Senate.
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