Trump loyalist Josh Hawley ignores impeachment trial evidence by sitting in gallery to review paperwork

Senator Josh Hawley, a bellwether of Donald Trump's "stop the steal" movement to overturn the 2020 election results, was watching the second day of impeachment proceedings against the former president from the gallery above the chamber.

The Trump loyalist, a first-term Missouri Republican, was seen at various points with his legs crossed, his feet propped up on the chair in front of him, and reviewing some sort of paperwork in a manila folder, according to several reporters with a view of the room from their seats in the press gallery.

Mr Hawley, along with Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and a handful of other Republicans, voted against the certification of Joe Biden's electoral victory on 6 and 7 January, even after a pro-Trump mob interrupted the day's proceedings with a bloody insurrection.

Mr Hawley was the first senator to announce he would join the majority of House Republicans in objecting to the 2020 election results on 6 January.

"Millions of voters concerned about election integrity deserve to be heard," the Missouri senator wrote at the time. "Somebody has to stand up."