Washington
President Donald Trump’s wish of get a speedy acquittal by the Senate may turnout to be true as Democrats suffered a setback in their efforts to introduce new witnesses at his impeachment trial on Thursday.
Democrats had sought to have Trump’s former national security advisor John Bolton testify but a key Republican senator said he would vote “no” when the question of calling further witnesses is put to the Senate on Friday.
If the witness motion is rejected, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a key Trump ally, could conceivably call for a vote to acquit the president of the impeachment charges as soon as Friday.
A two-thirds majority — or 67 senators — is needed to remove a president from office, and the 53-47 Republican majority in the Senate means Trump is virtually certain to be acquitted.
Democrats were particularly eager to hear from Bolton following reports that he claims in an upcoming book to have been personally told by Trump that military aid to Ukraine was tied to Kiev investigating his Democratic rival Joe Biden.
The charge is at the heart of the December 18 impeachment of the 45th US president for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress by the Democratic-majority House of Representatives.
Four Republican votes are needed to allow new witnesses but Republican Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, who had been considered a possible swing vote, issued a statement late Thursday saying there was no need for more evidence.
“It was inappropriate for the president to ask a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent and to withhold United States aid to encourage that investigation,” Alexander said.
“But the Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year’s ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate,” he said.
Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine said she would support the call for witnesses, and Utah Senator Mitt Romney has said he was “very likely” to do so.
Another wavering Republican — Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — has said she will announce her decision Friday morning.
In the event of a 50-50 tie, US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who is presiding over the trial, could be called upon to end the deadlock. If he declines to vote, the motion calling for witnesses would fail.
‘Purely partisan impeachment’
Chief Democratic prosecutor Adam Schiff, in a last-ditch bid on Thursday to win over Republican senators wary of a drawn-out process, proposed a one-week time frame to secure new witness testimony.
“Let’s have a reasonable accommodation here,” the California lawmaker told the 100 senators sitting as jurors at the historic trial. “We’ll take one week, and you’ll continue with the business of the Senate.”
Trump’s defence team rejected the Democratic calls for more witnesses. “They said for weeks it was an overwhelming case,” said White House deputy counsel Patrick Philbin. “If that’s their position, why do they need more witnesses?”
White House counsel Pat Cipollone argued for an early acquittal, saying it “would be the best thing for our country.” “We´re dealing with a purely partisan impeachment,” Cipollone said, accusing Democrats of using impeachment “as a political weapon.”
Voters — not the Senate — should decide Trump’s fate in the November presidential election, he said.—AFP
