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.
Aspiring Pastor Becomes March Madness Hero by Leading Team to Epic Upset While Wearing His Faith on His Feet
GOP sheriff leading California poll rips Newsom’s ‘love affair’ with criminals
Tech Exec. Charged with Secretly Sending Huge Quantities of Advanced AI Equipment to China
Thune reveals reason Democrats are ‘scared’ to reopen DHS
Breaking: Chuck Norris Dies at Age 86
Slain Loyola Chicago student’s family fumes over ‘murder,’ manhunt for masked gunman in attack near campus
Think Twice: A Talking Filibuster to Pass the SAVE America Act Might Sound Nice, but Do We Really Want Schumer in Control for Months?
Jimmy Gracey’s death deemed accidental after vanishing on spring break in Barcelona, police say
Top Dems brush off ties to Imam who held memorial for Iranian leader who vowed ‘Death to America’
After Telling Them to Leave, Hochul Begs New Yorkers Who Fled to FL: Please Come Back – And Drag Your Friends Back, Too – To Pay Our High Taxes
Revealed: Biden Admin Handed ‘Sweetheart Settlement’ to Iranian Front Group on Final Days in Office
WATCH: Dem senators make the case for the very bill they’re trying to kill
Cuban exiles in Miami say ‘this is the end’ for communism as island teeters on collapse
Noem, Mullin, and O’Brien show how Trump 2.0 is different
This senator offered a refreshingly candid explanation for her retirement plans
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.
Aspiring Pastor Becomes March Madness Hero by Leading Team to Epic Upset While Wearing His Faith on His Feet
GOP sheriff leading California poll rips Newsom’s ‘love affair’ with criminals
Tech Exec. Charged with Secretly Sending Huge Quantities of Advanced AI Equipment to China
Thune reveals reason Democrats are ‘scared’ to reopen DHS
Breaking: Chuck Norris Dies at Age 86
Slain Loyola Chicago student’s family fumes over ‘murder,’ manhunt for masked gunman in attack near campus
Think Twice: A Talking Filibuster to Pass the SAVE America Act Might Sound Nice, but Do We Really Want Schumer in Control for Months?
Jimmy Gracey’s death deemed accidental after vanishing on spring break in Barcelona, police say
Top Dems brush off ties to Imam who held memorial for Iranian leader who vowed ‘Death to America’
After Telling Them to Leave, Hochul Begs New Yorkers Who Fled to FL: Please Come Back – And Drag Your Friends Back, Too – To Pay Our High Taxes
Revealed: Biden Admin Handed ‘Sweetheart Settlement’ to Iranian Front Group on Final Days in Office
WATCH: Dem senators make the case for the very bill they’re trying to kill
Cuban exiles in Miami say ‘this is the end’ for communism as island teeters on collapse
Noem, Mullin, and O’Brien show how Trump 2.0 is different
This senator offered a refreshingly candid explanation for her retirement plans
“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.
