参议员米奇·麦康奈尔(Mitch McConnell)肯塔基州选区发行量最高的报纸指责参议院多数党领袖在唐纳德·特朗普总统的弹劾程序进入审判阶段时，如果他不公正，就准备违反宪法。
麦康奈尔因以下原因面临越来越多的批评表达他正在协调的感情12月18日，在众议院以滥用权力和妨碍司法公正的指控弹劾总统后，白宫保证特朗普获得有利的结果。
波士顿学院法学教授和肯塔基州本地人肯特·格林菲尔德也加入了反对的行列，他在2008年出版的一篇专栏文章中抨击了麦康奈尔路易斯维尔信使报。
美国参议院多数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔在DC华盛顿的美国国会大厦被拍照。他当地的报纸称，这位参议员在处理对唐纳德·特朗普总统的弹劾时，即将违背他的就职誓言。
他在社论开头说，“我们肯塔基人知道我们的话就是我们的纽带。誓言是最庄严的承诺，违背誓言会导致严重的名誉——有时甚至是法律——后果。
“唐纳德·特朗普总统将很快在参议院接受审判，理由是他违反了一项誓言。参议院领袖米奇·麦康奈尔即将打破第二个。”
格林菲尔德说，宪法要求参议院举行公平公正的听证会，参议员们为审判总统而必须进行的宣誓“超越了每位参议员为支持宪法已经进行的宣誓”
格林菲尔德写道:“总统宣誓和弹劾审判前的参议员宣誓是近亲。”他补充说，在极少数情况下，总统在没有腐败的情况下并不忠诚，“参议院被要求在对他的案件进行裁决时忠诚。”
“但我们已经看到迹象表明，麦康奈尔无意公正执法。他说他不认为自己是“公正的陪审员”。他正在与白宫协调战略，”格林菲尔德说。
“每个参议员都有不偏不倚的宪法义务。但是麦康奈尔作为参议院领袖的角色使得他的义务对宪法框架更加重要和关键。
“现在不是政治玩世不恭或无视宪法的时候。麦康奈尔对特朗普的忠诚不应压倒他对宪法的忠诚。如果他没有做到这一点，他不仅违反了他的第一条誓言，而且违反了他的第六条誓言，”格林菲尔德说。
本周，阿拉斯加州共和党参议员莉萨·穆尔科斯基描述了她是如何被有关麦康奈尔和其他共和党参议员，如南卡罗来纳州参议员林赛·格雷厄姆，将参与美国参议院和特朗普总统之间“全面协调”的报道“困扰”的。
她告诉当地安克雷奇KTUU电视台，“对我来说，这意味着我们必须从与辩方的密切合作中后退一步，所以我听到了麦康奈尔领导人所说的话，我碰巧认为这进一步混淆了整个过程。”。
格林菲尔德描述了在审判期间，参议院将如何履行其“最严重和最严肃的宪法义务”。
“所有参议员都应该认真对待忠实公正的义务，尤其是麦康奈尔。历史在注视着我们，这将是一个严厉的评判，”他说。
新闻周刊已联系参议员麦康奈尔的办公室征求意见。
与此同时，小山据报道，麦康奈尔将向他的肯塔基州选民提供价值超过10亿美元的联邦支出和税收减免，这将有助于他在2020年艰难的连任竞选中获得第七个参议院任期。
麦康奈尔在路易斯维尔的新闻发布会上吹捧这些数字，与他的对手针锋相对民主党对手艾米·麦格拉思，一名退休的海军陆战队战斗机飞行员在今年第三季度为2020年的比赛筹集了近1100万美元，小山报道。
MITCH MCCONNELL SHOULD NOT FAVOR LOYALTY TO DONALD TRUMP OVER U.S. CONSTITUTION, LAW PROFESSOR SAYS IN TOP KENTUCKY NEWSPAPER
The highest circulation newspaper in Sen. Mitch McConnell's Kentucky constituency has accused the Senate Majority leader of being prepared to violate the Constitution if he is not impartial when the impeachment process of President Donald Trump reaches trial.
McConnell faces growing criticism for voicing sentiment that he is coordinating with the White House to ensure a favorable outcome for Trump, after the House of Representatives impeached the president on December 18 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of justice.
Joining the chorus of disapproval is Boston College law professor and Kentucky native Kent Greenfield, who took a swipe at McConnell in an op-ed published in the Louisville Courier-Journal.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell is pictured at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. His local newspaper says the senator is about to violate his oath of office with his handling of the impeachment of President Donald Trump.
He starts his editorial by saying, "We Kentuckians know that our word is our bond. Oaths are the most solemn of promises, and their breach results in serious reputational—and sometimes legal—consequences.
"President Donald Trump will soon be on trial in the Senate on grounds that he breached one oath. Senate Leader Mitch McConnell is about to breach two."
Greenfield says that the Constitution requires a fair and impartial Senate hearing and that the oath that Senators would have to take to try the president "is over and above the oath each senator has already taken to support the Constitution."
"The presidential oath and the senatorial oath to be taken before an impeachment trial are kin," Greenfield wrote, adding that on the rare occasion the president has not been faithful in acting without corruption, "the Senate is required to be faithful in its adjudication of the case against him."
"But we have already seen indications that McConnell has no intention of doing impartial justice. He has said that he does not consider himself an 'impartial juror.' He is coordinating strategy with the White House," Greenfield said.
"Every senator has a constitutional obligation of impartiality. But McConnell's role as Senate leader makes his obligation even more important and crucial to the constitutional framework.
"This is not a time for political cynicism or constitutional faithlessness. McConnell's loyalty to Trump should not overwhelm his loyalty to the Constitution. If he fails in this, he is not only violating his Article I oath but his Article VI oath," Greenfield said.
This week, Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski described how she was "disturbed" by reports that McConnell and other GOP senators, such as South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, would be involved in "total coordination" between the U.S. Senate and President Trump.
"To me it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense, and so I heard what leader McConnell had said, I happened to think that that has further confused the process," she told told the local Anchorage KTUU-TV news station.
Greenfield described how that during the trial, the Senate would be conducting its "gravest and most serious constitutional obligation".
"All senators should take their obligation of faithful impartiality seriously, especially McConnell. History is watching, and it will be a harsh judge," he said.
Newsweek has contacted Sen. McConnell's office for comment.
Meanwhile, The Hill reported McConnell is delivering over $1 billion worth of federal spending and tax breaks to his Kentucky constituents, which would hold him in good stead during a tough re-election bid in 2020 for his seventh Senate term.
McConnell touted the figures at a press conference in Louisville as he faces off against his Democratic opponent, Amy McGrath, a retired Marine Corps fighter pilot who raised nearly $11 million in the third quarter this year for the 2020 race, The Hill reported.
