Politico: Sen. Lamar Alexander to oppose new witnesses in trial, signaling vote likely to be defeated
Mitch McConnell and the GOP Senate could get Trump acquitted by Friday.
Sen. Lamar Alexander announced he will vote against a motion to call witnesses in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, almost certainly ensuring the vote fails and paving the way for a speedy end to the trial.
"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," Alexander said in a statement.
Senate Democrats need four Republicans to join them to win the witness vote, and the retiring Tennessee Republican was considered a key swing vote they might be able to win over.
The Senate will hold the vote on witnesses Friday afternoon and could move to acquit Trump from the impeachment charges later that night.
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Update #1: Day in Impeachment: Lamar Alexandar Says He’ll Vote Against Witnesses (The New York Times)
Update #2: GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander, a key impeachment swing vote, says he will vote against witnesses (NBC News)
WNU Editor: Republican Senator Collins has said that she will vote for witnesses. I can only assume that Senator Romney will also vote for witnesses. But Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander's announcement that he will not vote for witnesses means that this impeachment trial will now probably end, and President Trump will be acquitted in a Senate vote later tonight.
