How Democrats And Republicans Voted On Witnesses In The Trump Impeachment Trial
More than 50 votes will ensure passage
No 0 51
The Senate on Friday rejected a measure to consider calling new witnesses and evidence in President Trumps impeachment trial. The vote, 51 to 49, was largely along party lines. See how every senator voted below.
The vote came after eight days of presentations and questioning. The Senate was divided over whether to compel testimony from additional witnesses including John R. Bolton, the former national security adviser.
Democrats needed four Republicans to join them in supporting the motion. Only two Republican senators, Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine, broke with their party and supported the proposal.
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Sounds bad for the GOP on Election Day. MitchCoverUp GOPTraitors RemoveTrump Midnight Mitch knows better. Lmao yea but not the witnesses Dems want lol Right, I believe that. Not. More FakeNewsMedia propaganda trying to convince POTUS supporters to back Senate doing Houses job. Not going to happen. It will be over right after opening arguments. The left blew it. Wish one of these liberal rags would just admit it.
I hope he gets a taste of his own medicine. He immobilized the House, and then alleged the Dems were playing games, not allowing Trump attend their secret meetings, or calling on his own witnesses. I said it once and Ill say it again his Tweets will get him imprisoned soon Get a load of that MitchMcConnell
Wrong again.
98% of Americans want to stop making up bullshit polls and numbers What was it 93% chance of Hillary winning, maybe Newsweek staff dont know how numbers actually work.
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North Carolina Gop Censures Sen Richard Burr Over Vote To Convict Trump
GOP Sen. Mitt Romney said Monday its increasingly apparent that more Republican senators will support calling witnesses in President Trumps impeachment trial following revelations about Ukraine in former national security adviser John Boltons book.
Its pretty fair to say John Bolton has relevant testimony, Romney told reporters. I think its increasingly likely that other Republicans will join those of us who think we should hear from John Bolton.
she was likely to vote to call witnesses and that the reports about John Boltons book strengthen the case for witnesses and have prompted a number of conversations among my colleagues.
Romney and Collins are among a handful of moderate Republicans who have expressed interest in having witnesses testify at the Senate impeachment trial.
Democrats, who have sought Boltons testimony, as well as acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaneys, would need four Republicans to vote with them on a motion to call witnesses.
Two other Senate Republicans, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, have signaled their desire for witnesses.
Boltons book, which is expected to be published in March, casts doubt on Trumps reasons for holding up nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine.
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Full Coverage: President Trump Becomes The Third Us President To Be Impeached
The House of Representatives intends to vote to impeach President Trump for abusing his office and obstructing Congress, a condemnation that only two other U.S. presidents have faced in the nations 243-year history. Despite the historic nature of the vote on charging the president with committing high crimes and misdemeanors, Trumps fate has been sealed for days, if not weeks in the Democratic-controlled House.
Lets face it: Were down to just a few senators on each side that are grappling with whether they need more information, said Sen. Mike Braun . I think at this point were getting close to judgment day, which means you have to vote eventually to either convict or acquit.
The House voted to impeach Trump in December on two articles: first, abuse of power for withholding military aid and a coveted White House meeting unless Ukraine announced investigations into his Democratic rivals and second, obstruction of Congress for preventing federal employees and agencies from complying with subpoenas for testimony and documents during the House investigation.
On Thursday, questions went back and forth between Republicans and Democrats, read aloud by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. The House managers and the White House have spent six days laying out their respective cases as the Senate weighs whether to acquit Trump or to convict him and remove him from office.
As she left the Capitol, Murkowski said she would announce a decision in the morning.
Votes Come After Opening Statements
Votes on possible witnesses could come after the opening statements and questions, as happened in the trial of President Bill Clinton in 1999.
Whats good for President Clinton is good for President Trump,” McConnell said.
If the door is open to witnesses, Republicans have suggested calling the anonymous whistleblower, who complained about Trumps dealings with Ukraine, and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who led the Ukraine investigation. Trump suggested calling former Vice President Joe Biden to testify.
Romney, who has criticized Trump for urging Ukraine to investigate Biden as “wrong and appalling” and suffered the president’s wrath for it, said he was open to hearing from Bolton.
“I’d like to hear what he has to say,” Romney said.
Collins and Murkowski left the door open to calling witnesses even before Bolton’s announcement.
“While I need to hear the case argued and the questions answered, I tend to believe having additional information would be helpful,” said Collins, who supported calling witnesses in the Clinton trial. “Prior to hearing the statement of the case and the senators asking questions, I will not support any attempts by either side to subpoena documents or witnesses.”
Murkowski told KTUU in Alaska that she was disturbed to hear McConnell say the Senate would coordinate with the White House about how the trial is conducted.
How we will deal with witnesses remains to be seen, Murkowski said.
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Senate Acquits Trump On House Charge He Incited Insurrection At The Capitol 7 Republicans Voted To Convict
WASHINGTON Donald Trump was acquitted Saturday of inciting the horrific attack on the U.S. Capitol, concluding a historic impeachment trial that spared him the first-ever conviction of a current or former U.S. president but exposed the fragility of Americas democratic traditions and left a divided nation to come to terms with the violence sparked by his defeated presidency.
Barely a month since the deadly Jan. 6 riot that stunned the world, the Senate convened for a rare weekend session to deliver its verdict, voting while armed National Guard troops continued to stand their posts outside the iconic building.
The quick trial, the nations first of a former president, showed in raw and emotional detail how perilously close the invaders had come to destroying the nations deep tradition of a peaceful transfer of presidential power after Trump had refused to concede the election. Rallying outside the White House, he unleashed a mob of supporters to fight like hell for him at the Capitol just as Congress was certifying Democrat Joe Bidens victory. As hundreds stormed the building, some in tactical gear engaging in bloody combat with police, lawmakers fled for their lives. Five people died.
The outcome after the uprising leaves unresolved the nations wrenching divisions over Trumps brand of politics that led to the most violent domestic attack on one of Americas three branches of government.
‘can’t Have It Both Ways’
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said that if Democrats are successful in calling witnesses, he would support calling the whistleblower and Hunter Biden to testify. Biden, the former vice president’s son, worked for the Ukraine gas company Burisma, which Trump sought to have investigated.
“My colleagues cant have it both ways. Calling for some, while blocking others,” Paul said in a tweet. “If we are going to give a platform to witnesses the Dems demand, I look forward to forcing votes to call Hunter Biden and many more!”
The Constitution imposes only three requirements on a Senate trial: Senators must be under oath, a conviction requires at least a two-thirds vote, and the chief justice of the Supreme Court must preside if the president is on trial. Given that broad discretion, the Senate sets its own rules.
The dispute over witnesses led to an impasse after the House approved the articles Dec. 18. But Pelosi said the delay was worthwhile because of the emergence of more evidence from Parnas and the offer of testimony from Bolton.
The online publication Just Security reported that administration emails from Pentagon officials revealed growing concern during the summer that withholding the military aid might have violated the Impoundment Control Act, which requires the executive branch to spend money as appropriated by Congress.
But McConnell said Pelosi’s “one-woman blockade” achieved nothing.
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Democrats Quickly Back Down After Voting To Call Impeachment Witnesses
Senate Democrats backtracked after initially voting earlier Saturday to call witnesses in Donald Trumps second impeachment trial following new revelations about the former presidents activity on Jan. 6 as rioters were storming the U.S. Capitol.
Their reversal on calling witnesses capped a dramatic and chaotic two hours in the Senate. The impeachment trial appeared ready to wrap with a quick vote on Trumps acquittal until a dramatic Friday-night revelation about the former presidents conduct while the Jan. 6 violence unfolded shook up the trial.
According to CNN, Trump reportedly responded with mockery after House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called him on Jan. 6, pleading with the then-president to call off his supporters prompting a shouting match between the two men.
Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are, Trump told McCarthy, according to a CNN report published Friday.
The conversation between the two men, which sheds more light on Trumps state of mind as rioters hunted for lawmakers in the halls of Congress, was confirmed directly by Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler , who is one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump last month.
The surprise announcement threw the Senate into discord.
Senate Democrats gave them the votes, but the managers didnt know what their next step was, said one Democrat familiar with the situation.
Rep Russell Rusty Bowers
Role: Bowers is a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives, where he also serves as speaker.
Why does the committee want to hear from him? Bowers was one of several state-level Republican lawmakers who supported Trumps re-election campaign in 2020. After Trumps loss, Bowers defended the election results in his state, where President Joe Biden came out on top.
In May, Bowers was one of five people to receive this years John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, given to public officials who protect U.S. democracy.
As a conservative Republican, I dont like the results of the presidential election, Bowers said, according to the awards page. I voted for President Trump and worked hard to reelect him. But I cannot and will not entertain a suggestion that we violate current law to change the outcome of a certified election.
Cooperated with the committee? Yes.
The latest: Bowers was the first witness to testify before the Jan. 6 Committee during its June 21 hearing. He described getting phone calls from Trump and Giuliani, who made allegations of voter fraud and asked him to convene a special hearing of the legislature to consider the allegations. Bowers told the committee he refused because he did not believe evidence of election fraud was sufficient. They also suggested that Arizona law would allow Bowers to remove Bidens electors and recognize electors for Trump.
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The names of other Republican senators including Cory Gardner, who is in a tough 2020 race in Colorado, and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, who is respectful of Senate institutions and is retiring and thus freer to vote his conscience have also been raised as possibilities. Mr. Gardner can ill afford to break with Mr. Trump.
But Mr. Alexander is of genuine concern to the White House, according to a senior administration official, who insisted on anonymity to characterize the perspective of Mr. Trumps team. On Monday, he appeared to join the Collins-Murkowski wait-and-see camp.
Mr. Bolton has since said he would be willing to testify if the Senate issued a subpoena.
Democrats are unlikely to support them no matter what they do, and alienating Mr. Trump could be disastrous for them.
Trumps Defense Team Wraps Arguments As Battle Grows Over Witnesses
Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning Democrats would need four Republicans to join them in a vote for witness testimony.
Top Senate Democrats have said repeatedly that they want former national security adviser John Bolton acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney Robert Blair, senior adviser to Mulvaney and Michael Duffey, associate director for national security at the Office of Management and Budget, to testify.
Calls for Bolton, in particular, to testify have intensified in recent days after The New York Times reported according to a manuscript of Bolton’s book, which it obtained and has not seen by NBC News that Trump told Bolton in August that nearly $400 million in aid to Ukraine would not be released until it provided all of the information it had in connection with investigations of Democrats the president was seeking.
A pair of moderate Republican senators Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine said Monday that the report of major revelations in Bolton’s soon-to-be-released book strengthened the case for calling witnesses.
Download the NBC News app for full coverage of the Senate impeachment trial
Romney, Collins, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee are considered the Republicans most likely to vote for witnesses.
Frank Thorp V is a producer and off-air reporter covering Congress for NBC News, managing coverage of the Senate.
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Concerns That Calling Witnesses Would Backfire
House Democrats ultimately decided to cut a deal over witnesses because of the unpredictability of how that would turn out and fears that doing so could backfire and undermine their case, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the discussions.
Democrats didnt make a decision to call Herrera Beutler to testify until shortly before the proceedings began Saturday morning, sources said. The managers debated until nearly 3 a.m. ET Saturday morning about whether to call witnesses following news of the McCarthy call, including consulting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Managers had their eyes set on at least two possible witnesses Herrera Beutler and Rep. John Katko of New York who also voted to impeach, according to a source with direct knowledge of the deliberations. A spokesman for Herrera Beutler said she would have been willing to testify.
Among the variety of reasons they did not go forward, they were warned bluntly by Senate Democrats that moving forward on witnesses could stall the Senate since the Trump team could move forward with any number of motions for witnesses. Each motion would require two hours of debate. That warning was delivered Saturday to the Democratic impeachment managers by Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, who said he was conveying what Republicans had told him, according to the source along with a Coons aide.
Pences Former Chief Of Staff Has Been Contacted About Providing Information Source Says
From CNNs Jim Acosta and Alex Marquardt
A source familiar with the work of the House managers says former Vice President Mike Pences Chief of Staff Marc Short has been contacted about providing information about threats to Pence.
Short has not responded, the source said.
House managers are also seeking information from Chris Hodgson, Pences former head of legislative affairs. House managers believe he was also with Pence that day.
This comes as House Managers have asked the Senate to allow them to bring forward witnesses in the impeachment trial of dormer President Trump.
A former Pence staffer tells CNN that on Jan. 6, then National Security Adviser Robert OBrien was traveling so President Trump was being staffed by his deputy Matt Pottinger and Gen. Keith Kellogg, Pences national security adviser.
Pottinger and Kellogg were at the White House on the day of the rally and riot. Kellogg was in the Oval Office with Trump and his kids as the riots were raging, including when Pence was forced to flee the Senate Chamber.
After Pence fled, Kellogg was in communication with the Vice President through the Vice Presidents staff who were with him at the Capitol. Those staff were communicating back to the White House and getting that information to Kellogg, who was with the President.
Kellogg was Pences national security adviser so of course they knew exactly what the circumstance was, said a Pence staffer.
Pence has stayed quiet throughout the Senate impeachment trial.
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House Managers Ask To Call Witnesses
Rep. Jamie Raskin just announced that House managers are seeking to subpoena Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, a House Republican who first revealed a conversation between House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy and Trump, where the former President said the rioters cared more about the election results than McCarthy did.
Beutler mentioned the conversation in a town hall earlier this week, and it was confirmed to CNN by Herrera Beutler and other Republicans briefed on the conversation.
“You have to look at what he did during the insurrection to confirm where his mind was at,” Herrera Beutler, one of 10 House Republicans who voted last month to impeach Trump, told CNN. “That line right there demonstrates to me that either he didn’t care, which is impeachable, because you cannot allow an attack on your soil, or he wanted it to happen and was OK with it, which makes me so angry.”
“We should never stand for that, for any reason, under any party flag,” she added, voicing her extreme frustration: “I’m trying really hard not to say the F-word.”
Herrera Beutler went a step further on Friday night, calling on others to speak up about any other details they might know regarding conversations Trump and Pence had on Jan. 6.
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