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Impeachment senators will stomach trial thanks to ‘candy desk’

At least they won’t get hangry.

US senators are well prepared to stomach the possibility of marathon impeachment hearings — thanks to the chamber’s well-stocked “candy desk.”

When the Senate was hearing the House’s case against President Bill Clinton in 1999 for lying about his affair with former intern Monica Lewinsky, Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum had the sweet job of keeping the desk, located on the GOP side of the Senate floor, stocked with chocolate bars and other goodies.

And the candy desk tradition — which actually began in 1965 with then-Sen. George Murphy, a Republican from California — lives on.

The goodie desk is now overseen by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who has handled the crucial duty since 2015.

Toomey spokesman Steve Kelly said the current cache includes Hershey bars with almonds, Rolo caramels, Milky Ways, 3 Musketeers bars, Palmer Peanut Butter Cups and Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews.

While even the candy, which is donated by manufacturers, could violate the chamber’s ethics rules involving gifts to members, it’s considered an exception because the treats are products of the senator’s home state — and shared with everyone.

Palmer is based in West Reading, Pa. The other candies are all made by Pennsylvania-based companies or licensees, too.

Still, the goodie desk is not without controversy.

When Santorum was overseeing the candy stash for the Senate during Clinton’s impeachment trial, he found himself in what the Morning Call of Allentown, Pa., called “a sticky situation.”

As a former member of the House, Santorum was also making sure that House Republicans at the time had a candy stash in a room in the Capitol they used to prep their presentations — and that made Clinton’s lawyers jealous.

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Senate candy drawer
US Senate
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts swears in members of the Senate for the impeachment trial against Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts swears in members of the Senate for the impeachment trial against President Trump at the US Capitol.AP
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Santorum told the paper that he ran into Clinton lawyer Charles Ruff, who jokingly asked if Santorum could be an unbiased juror if he only gave sweets to the GOP members.

“Touche,” Santorum said he replied.

“So we immediately got candy to the Clinton defenders and made sure that they were well-stocked for the rest of the trial. You have to be impartial when it comes to candy in particular,” Santorum quipped.