WASHINGTON — House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler, one of the lead architects of Democrats' impeachment case against President Donald Trump, announced Friday that he would not be present for the final phase of Trump's Senate trial.
"I am sorry to not be able to stay in Washington for the conclusion of the Senate impeachment trial but I need to be home with my wife at this time," Nadler wrote in a tweet Friday. "We have many decisions to make as a family. I have every faith in my colleagues and hope the Senate will do what is right."
Less than a week earlier, Nadler, D-N.Y., issued a statement explaining that his wife had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December.
"She has undergone surgery and is taking further steps to address the spread of the cancer," Nadler said on Jan. 26. "On Monday, I will be in New York with her to meet with doctors, determine a path forward, and begin her treatment. I am sorry to miss some of the Senate Impeachment Trial, which is of critical importance to our democracy. I plan to return to Washington late Monday and appreciate the support of my colleagues and staff as I take this time to be with my wife and begin the long fight against her cancer."
Nadler, along with House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., has led the impeachment managers as they laid out their case in the Senate for Trump's conviction and removal from office.
He offered the Democrats' closing statement in the proceedings Thursday night, hours before the Senate was expected to vote on whether to subpoena new witnesses and documents in the trial.
-- CNBC's Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report.