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---
title: Impeachment Hearings: Everyone&#x27;s Into Steve Castor’s Bag
description: The Republican lawyer arrived at the House of Representatives with an interesting choice of briefcase.
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author: Melissa Locker
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article:published_time: 2019-12-09T16:30:53.000Z
article:modified_time: 2023-12-12T20:23:06.000Z
og:title: All Eyes Are on Lawyer Steve Castor’s Briefcase Choice at the Impeachment Hearings
og:description: The Republican lawyer made a very practical choice
og:url: https://time.com/5746438/impeachment-hearing-steve-castor-bag/
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twitter:title: All Eyes Are on Lawyer Steve Castor’s Briefcase Choice at the Impeachment Hearings
twitter:description: The Republican lawyer made a very practical choice
twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2c15d4e917989127/698a073886f68ecf556ee0a6/gabriella-demczuk-stephen-castor-bag-impeachment-1.jpg?branch=production&amp;width=3840&amp;quality=75&amp;auto=webp&amp;crop=16:9
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2c15d4e917989127/698a073886f68ecf556ee0a6/gabriella-demczuk-stephen-castor-bag-impeachment-1.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# People Have Taken Notice of Lawyer Steve Castor’s Grocery Bag at the Impeachment Hearing


by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


Updated: Dec 12, 2023 8:23 PM UTCPublished: Dec 9, 2019 4:30 PM UTC

![Stephen Castor, Republican counsel to the Judiciary and Intelligence committee, packs his bag after the House Judiciary Committee hearing on the impeachment inquiry in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 9, 2019. Castor's reusable bag has drawn attention on the in](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2c15d4e917989127/698a073886f68ecf556ee0a6/gabriella-demczuk-stephen-castor-bag-impeachment-1.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

Stephen Castor, Republican counsel to the Judiciary and Intelligence committee, packs his bag after the House Judiciary Committee hearing on the impeachment inquiry in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 9, 2019\. Castor's reusable bag has drawn attention on the internet.

Stephen Castor, Republican counsel to the Judiciary and Intelligence committee, packs his bag after the House Judiciary Committee hearing on the impeachment inquiry in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 9, 2019\. Castor's reusable bag has drawn attention on the internet.Gabriella Demczuk for TIME

by 

[Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/)


## Melissa Locker


Updated: Dec 12, 2023 8:23 PM UTCPublished: Dec 9, 2019 4:30 PM UTC

The House Judiciary Committee opened its doors on Monday to formally hear from Democratic and [Republican](https://time.com/5744248/mitch-mcconnell-trump-impeachment/) lawyers laying out their cases for or against [hearings](https://time.com/5746342/hearing-trump-impeachment-charges/) that could result in the impeachment of President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power, bribery and obstruction.

When Republican Counsel Steve Castor walked into the hearing room at the U.S. House of Representatives to once again testify before the [Judiciary Committee](https://time.com/5745810/white-house-judiciary-committee-impeachment/), he brought along binders full of documents and materials he may need to make his case. Instead of tucking them into a box or a briefcase, though, he opted to stick them into a reusable The Fresh Market grocery bag—and the internet noticed.

![A reusable shopping bag filled with documents and notes sit at the feet of Stephen Castor, the Republican counsel to the Judiciary and Intelligence committee, at the beginning of the House Judiciary Committee hearing on the impeachment inquiry in Washing](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2042f688805c55c5/698a073822fb8576f3e2a465/gabriella-demczuk-stephen-castor-bag-impeachment-2.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp)

Castor's reusable shopping bag, filled with documents and notes. Gabriella Demczuk for TIME

Soon after Castor walked into the room, eagle-eyed political reporters started to share images of the lawyer’s reusable tote. The relatable moment offered impeachment watchers a brief moment of humor during an otherwise tense week in Washington as Democrats prepare for a full House vote on the [articles of impeachment](https://time.com/5746342/hearing-trump-impeachment-charges/) drafted under the direction of [Speaker Nancy Pelosi](https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2019/5567750/nancy-pelosi-2/).

> [](https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/status/1204038674649952262)

> [](https://twitter.com/ChadPergram/status/1204045803502874624)

> [](https://twitter.com/alaynatreene/status/1204038548766306304)

> [](https://twitter.com/jim%5Fnewell/status/1204040197723316230)


> [](https://twitter.com/AndrewDesiderio/status/1204038963113140226)

> [](https://twitter.com/Milbank/status/1204039543143440385)

> [](https://twitter.com/Elationiam/status/1204057723362525185)


> [](https://twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1204038634321645576)

**Correction, Dec. 9**

The original version of this story misstated where Steve Cantor’s grocery bag is from. It is from The Fresh Market, not Whole Foods.

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