Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) announced Thursday evening that she will support a motion to allow additional witnesses to be heard in the Senate’s impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.
“I believe hearing from certain witnesses would give each side the opportunity to more fully and fairly make their case, resolve any ambiguities, and provide additional clarity. Therefore, I will vote in support of the motion to allow witnesses and documents to be subpoenaed,” Collins, who faces a tough re-election battle, said in a statement.
Beloved 75-year-old math teacher found dead inside Baltimore elementary school
FBI arrests alleged MS-13 member accused in El Salvador pastor’s killing
EXCLUSIVE: ICE says El Paso detention facility will stay open under new contractor after $1.2B deal scrapped
WATCH: NYC terror suspect allegedly seen purchasing fireworks fuse days before attack
Michigan man found guilty of killing wife whose body was discovered in fertilizer tank
Sen. Hyde-Smith set for November clash with Dem foe she once vanquished
9th Circuit upholds first grader’s free speech rights in ‘black lives matter’ drawing case
Special election replacing Marjorie Taylor Greene goes to runoff between Trump-endorsed candidate and Democrat
Trump Says Family Bible from His Mother Has a Powerful Revival Connection
Speaker Johnson touts Trump’s agenda as crucial blueprint ahead of midterms: ‘On the ballot’
Brett Kavanaugh Fires Back as Ketanji Brown Jackson Gets Hostile While Two Share Stage at Event
After Daughter Is Allegedly Killed by Illegal, Mom Opens Victim’s Bible and Finds Incredible Surprise Note
DOJ blasts ‘partisan’ DC Bar complaint against senior Trump official
Trump Appoints Erika Kirk to Board Position Previously Held by Charlie
Fox News Poll: Voters expect AI to transform our lives — but today is not that day
I will vote in support of the motion to allow witnesses and documents to be subpoenaed. My full statement: https://t.co/VuhZv6CO5e pic.twitter.com/LhQlnvPaoc
— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) January 31, 2020
“If this motion passes, I believe that the most sensible way to proceed would be for the House Managers and the President’s attorneys to attempt to agree on a limited and equal number of witnesses for each side. If they can’t agree, then the Senate could choose the number of witnesses,” the senator added.
Collins’ announcement came moments before the lengthy statement of fellow moderate Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who announced that he will join the overwhelming majority of his colleagues to vote against calling additional witnesses.
“I worked with other senators to make sure that we have the right to ask for more documents and witnesses, but there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the United States Constitution’s high bar for an impeachable offense,” the retiring Tennessee Republican said.
Beloved 75-year-old math teacher found dead inside Baltimore elementary school
FBI arrests alleged MS-13 member accused in El Salvador pastor’s killing
EXCLUSIVE: ICE says El Paso detention facility will stay open under new contractor after $1.2B deal scrapped
WATCH: NYC terror suspect allegedly seen purchasing fireworks fuse days before attack
Michigan man found guilty of killing wife whose body was discovered in fertilizer tank
Sen. Hyde-Smith set for November clash with Dem foe she once vanquished
9th Circuit upholds first grader’s free speech rights in ‘black lives matter’ drawing case
Special election replacing Marjorie Taylor Greene goes to runoff between Trump-endorsed candidate and Democrat
Trump Says Family Bible from His Mother Has a Powerful Revival Connection
Speaker Johnson touts Trump’s agenda as crucial blueprint ahead of midterms: ‘On the ballot’
Brett Kavanaugh Fires Back as Ketanji Brown Jackson Gets Hostile While Two Share Stage at Event
After Daughter Is Allegedly Killed by Illegal, Mom Opens Victim’s Bible and Finds Incredible Surprise Note
DOJ blasts ‘partisan’ DC Bar complaint against senior Trump official
Trump Appoints Erika Kirk to Board Position Previously Held by Charlie
Fox News Poll: Voters expect AI to transform our lives — but today is not that day
“There is no need for more evidence to conclude that the president withheld United States aid, at least in part, to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens; the House managers have proved this with what they call a ‘mountain of overwhelming evidence,’ he added. “There is no need to consider further the frivolous second article of impeachment that would remove the president for asserting his constitutional prerogative to protect confidential conversations with his close advisers.”
Alexander’s decision indicates that the Senate will likely fail to meet the 51-vote threshold needed to subpoena more witnesses on Friday’s blanket up-or-down vote, signaling that the trial could draw to a close in the coming days.
Speaking to reporters earlier Thursday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said that he is “increasingly optimistic” that Republicans “will move to a final verdict” before Tuesday and the president’s acquittal will be “in a bipartisan manner.”
“I’m increasingly optimistic that Republicans will move to a final verdict before Tuesday. The president will be acquitted in a bipartisan manner,” Graham, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said. We’re not blocking anybody’s witnesses. We’re just not going to legitimize the House choosing not to call a witness, dump it in our lap, and put us in a spot where if you call the witness, you’d be bailing the courts out of judicial review of impeachment.”
Story cited here.
