Senate Republicans push back on calls for more impeachment witnesses – POLITICO

Trump was impeached in December for pressuring the Ukrainian government to investigate his political rivals and withholding aid to the country.

Monday will mark the second day for Trumps lawyers to make their opening arguments. They are not expected to use the full 24 hours theyve been given. After those arguments, senators will proceed to a 16-hour question-and-answer period before taking a contentious vote this week on whether to bring in additional witnesses.

Democrats will need at least four Senate Republicans to join them in order to achieve their demands. While GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Mitt Romney of Utah and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska are among the senators who could be open to calling witnesses, Democrats appear less optimistic that they will get the votes they need.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) declined on Sunday on CBS Face the Nation to forecast whether four Republicans would call for more witnesses, but made clear where he stood.

Im not going to vote to approve witnesses, because the House Democrats have had lots of witnesses, we heard from them over and over and over again this week, Cotton said. We dont need to prolong whats already taken five months of the American peoples time.

One of the House impeachment managers, Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), also declined on Sunday to predict whether the Senate would have enough votes to bring in additional witnesses.

Im just not going to give up on the Senate and Im not going to draw any conclusions, although I know theres a lot of speculation about what they may do or may not do, Demings said on ABCs This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Im not going to draw any other conclusions.

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Senate Republicans push back on calls for more impeachment witnesses - POLITICO