Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer kicked off the day of the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump by brushing off calls to move on from the Jan. 6 Capitol invasion and promising that he can balance the Senate trial with confirming President Biden’s nominees and working on another coronavirus relief package.

“Those who say, ‘Let’s move on, that brings unity,’ are false,” Schumer said in a press conference Tuesday morning. “When you have such a serious charge, sweeping it under the rug will not bring unity. It will keep the sore open, the wounds open. You need truth and accountability.”

He said that some of the evidence that the House impeachment managers will present will be new, and he said that the decision on whether to call witnesses will be up to the managers.

“It was said a few weeks ago in all the punditry and everywhere else that the impeachment trial would throw a wrench into President Biden’s early agenda,” Schumer said. “We are here today to say we are not letting that happen. We can do both at once.”

“Senate Democrats will not dither, dilute, or delay because the COVID responsibility is so real,” he said.

Ten Democratic leaders of Senate committees joined Schumer, giving updates on their work on the coronavirus relief package (some of whom left the press conference immediately after delivering remarks).

As the Democrats held a press conference, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a confirmation hearing for Biden’s nominee for the director of the Office of Management and Budget, Neera Tanden.

The Senate is expected to spend Tuesday debating the constitutionality of the impeachment trial, an objection of many Republicans who cite it as a reason to vote to acquit Trump, since he is no longer in office and therefore cannot be removed from the post.

Senators can, though, bar Trump from holding federal office in the future, a scenario that remains a distinct possibility since Trump can constitutionally serve one more term as president. He has not ruled out running for president again in 2024.

Original Location: Schumer says impeachment will not ‘dither, dilute, or delay’ coronavirus bill