Speaker Nancy Pelosi chose seven House members on Tuesday to serve as impeachment managers in the upcoming Senate trial of President Trump. Among them is Bay Area Rep. Zoe Lofgren, a veteran of the impeachment efforts for Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton.

But Pelosi’s decision to pass over East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell for one of the historic and high-profile positions was mildly surprising. Swalwell has long been a loyal ally of Pelosi’s and his drumbeat of anti-Trump sentiment on cable news television has made him a star among Democrats of all stripes.

But Swalwell’s legendary ambition, in this case, may have gotten the best of him, according to a report in Roll Call.

Aside from Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Jerry Nader, both of whom were point men during the House impeachment hearings, the roster of impeachment managers for the Senate trial did not lobby for the roles. Two little-known freshman congressmembers were among those selected by Pelosi.

Instead, of the overly-charged rhetoric offered by legislators like Swalwell, Pelosi wanted to ensure the impeachment trial featured a more solemn tone, according to Roll Call. Diversity among the impeachment managers was also a consideration for Pelosi.

While Swalwell would have struggled to increase the diversity of the panel of impeachment managers, there is an argument for his inclusion.

He is a former Alameda County prosecutor, although of debatable rigor, and also a current member of both the House Intelligence Committee and House Judiciary Committee.

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