Moderate GOP Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) will vote in favor of calling up at least one additional witness in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.
She is referring to former national security advisor John Bolton, who left the administration last year. Earlier this week, the New York Times reported on a forthcoming book from Bolton, where he claimed that he was told by Trump about a linkage between military aid to Ukraine and politically advantageous investigations. Trump has categorically denied the claims in the report and noted that timing of the article, which was published before Trump’s legal team presented their arguments in the trial, was suspicious.
Romney, a freshman senator, previously suggested to media outlets that he wanted to hear from Bolton in the trial before his spokeswoman confirmed his intentions.
“We have heard the cases argued and the questions answered. In keeping with the model used for the impeachment trial of President Clinton, at this point, Senators are able to make an informed judgment about what is in dispute and what is important to the underlying issues,” she said in a late-night statement.
As a result, Collins explained that “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,” her statement added.
But another possible swing-voter, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), confirmed that he will not vote for witnesses. Alexander is retiring from office this year.
But Alexander’s decision is a devastating blow to the House impeachment managers prosecuting Trump, essentially ensuring that witnesses will not be called. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is expected to move to vote on two articles of impeachment, possibly as soon as Friday afternoon.
Democrats have said they require four Republican senators to join them in their quest for witness testimony. Democratic House managers for days have argued that in light of the NY Times report, Bolton and other witnesses should be called, while some have said that a trial without any witnesses wouldn’t be a trial at all.
The Senate is expected re-convene at 1 p.m. on Friday to hear the closing arguments from Trump’s legal defense team and the House managers.
Republicans have a 53-vote majority in the Senate. Removing Trump would take 67-vote supermajority, meaning that about 20 Republicans would have to break ranks with their party to join Democrats.