Tag: Senate GOP OK with Trump corruption

Senate rejects motion for witnesses at Trump impeachment trial

Trial now moves toward acquittal, but schedule far from certain

The Senate on Friday rejected a motion to hear from additional witnesses or to see new documents in its impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, ending weeks of speculation over whether Republicans would break with their party to extend the trial.

Republican senators largely stuck together in Friday’s pivotal 49-51 vote that would have allowed the body to subpoena new information before voting on whether to remove Trump from office on the two articles of impeachment presented by House impeachment managers.

The Senate adjourned, subject to the call of the chair, immediately after the vote as both parties huddled to determine next steps. The White House and Republicans leaders in the Senate had hoped to hold the vote to acquit Trump Friday night, but that may not happen. Continue reading.

McConnell says he can’t completely prevent an impeachment trial

Duration, however, is ‘a whole different matter’

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reiterated on Monday that he is bound by Senate rules to take up articles of impeachment if they are presented by the House.

“Under the Senate rules, we’re required to take it up if the House does go down that path, and we’ll follow the Senate rules,” McConnell said. “It’s a Senate rule related to impeachment that would take 67 votes to change.”

That makes clear that he does not expect to have a path to use the “nuclear option” to set a new precedent to stop a trial with just a simple majority, effectively bypassing the rules.

View the complete September 30 article by Niels Lesniewski on The Roll Call website here.