GOP Senator on Trump Soliciting Foreign Assistance: ‘Things Happen,’ People ‘Make Mistakes’

Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) chalked up Donald Trump’s actions to human error on Sunday, excusing the president’s conduct toward Ukraine on the grounds that “things happen” and people “make mistakes.”

ABC’s George Stephanopoulos asked Shelby if he agrees with the argument from Trump’s legal defense team, who say that even if the facts prove that the president abused his power and pressured the Ukrainian government into investigating his political rivals, it wouldn’t be an impeachable offense. Stehanopoulos also asked Shelby “do you think it was proper for the president to solicit foreign interference in our election?”

Shelby answered by arguing that the allegations against Trump as “in dispute,” but then Stephanopoulos noted that Trump is on camera asking foreign governments to get involved in domestic American political affairs.

What happened next? Well…here’s the transcript.

Stephanopoulos: “I asked if it was okay to solicit. We’ve seen the president in public ask the Ukrainians to get involved, ask the Chinese to get involved.”

Shelby: “Well, those were just statements, political. They make them all the time.”

Stephanopoulos: “So it’s okay?”

Shelby: “I didn’t say it was okay, I said people make them. People do things. Things happen.”

Stephanopoulos: “Well this is the President of the United States.”

Shelby: “Well still, the president of the United States is human and he is going to make mistakes of judgment.”

Watch above, via ABC.