Senate expected to block new witnesses in Friday impeachment session

The impeachment trial of President Trump faces a climactic vote on Friday, when senators will decide whether to call witnesses and prolong impeachment proceedings or bring them to the swift conclusion and the expected acquittal of the commander in chief.

Democrats need to persuade four Republicans to vote with them in the Senate in order to call witnesses such as John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser, and secure documents the White House has withheld.

Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah on Friday became the second Republican senator to back voting for witnesses, joining Susan Collins of Maine.

But GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, who had purportedly been on the fence, said late Thursday that Democrats had proven the case against Trump but that the president’s actions did “not meet the United States Constitution’s high bar for an impeachable offense.” He therefore would be voting against calling witnesses, meaning that even if Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the last potential swing Republican vote, were to vote to allow witnesses, the Senate would be tied 50-50.

Technically, Chief Justice John Roberts would be the tie-breaker, as he presides over the Senate instead of the vice president, in the case of impeachment, but many observes believe he will follow the lead of the late William Rehnquist, who during the Clinton impeachment by his own words, proudly did “nothing in particular”and left it to the Senators’ votes.

A tie on the motion to call witness or subpoena further evidence would be a defeat for the Democrats’ motion, as a simple majority of 51 is needed to pass it.

The chamber would then move toward a final vote that is all but certain to acquit the president as a 2/3 majority is needed to convict, requiring some 20 Republicans to defect. That final vote could take place late on Friday or on possibly on Saturday.

This would be the first Senate impeachment trial in US history with no witnesses, including trials of two prior presidents and a number of other federal officials.

The Democratic-controlled House impeached Trump in December, formally charging him with abuse of power for asking Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelsnsky to investigate a political rival, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden at a time that he was also withholding congressionally approved security aid for Ukraine. The president has denied any linkage between the two.

The House also charged Trump with obstruction of Congress for blocking current and former officials from providing testimony or documents.

On Friday, the Democrats prosecuting Trump and the president’s lawyers are expected to present closing arguments of up to two hours each that can also include arguments about whether to call witnesses.

Then the Senate will vote on the witnesses issue first. A vote on each of the two impeachment articles could follow.

With Wires