GOP Sen. Rick Scott on Monday railed against what he calls the impeachment "circus" surrounding President Donald Trump, accusing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of playing games.
"She just hates Trump," Scott said on CNBC's "Squawk Box." "She said it was so important to get it done in December and didn't have time to have witnesses come, and now she wants to tell us how to do the trial in the Senate."
"Clearly what Pelosi has done is a circus, it's a sham," the Florida Republican added. "We should be doing things that are important, but we're playing this game."
A spokesperson for Pelosi did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.
Scott was referring to the speaker's delay in sending to the Senate the two articles of impeachment passed by the House last month. She's expected to send them this week.
The California Democrat's delay was part of a strategy aimed at trying to force concessions out of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, including the ability to call witnesses.
McConnell, however, shut down that idea last week, telling reporters that he had enough votes to start the trial without a commitment to hear from additional witnesses.
"It's frustrating to me," Scott, a key ally of Trump, added. "The Democrats didn't prove anything but that he is innocent."
Trump was charged last month with abuse of power for asking Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden while withholding aid as leverage, and with obstruction of Congress for stonewalling the House investigation.
The president has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and is backed by Senate Republicans, who are unlikely to vote to remove the GOP president.