Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell dropped a bombshell on Tuesday as the Senate impeachment trial enters the next phase.
McConnell told fellow senators he does not have enough votes to block new witnesses after Trump’s high-powered defense team made their closing arguments on Tuesday.
In the next phase of the impeachment trial on Wednesday, senators will submit written questions. The questions phase can last 2 days.
McConnell, pictured right with Trump, previously said Trump’s Senate impeachment trial would end with a quick acquittal this Friday. But now it seems the Democrats will get their wish to call witnesses to give sworn testimony against Trump.
Democrats need four Republicans to vote with them to subpoena witnesses such as former White House aide John Bolton, whose new book supposedly contains evidence that would undermine Trump’s defense that he didn’t withhold military aid to Ukraine.
Three Republican senators, including Mitt Romney and Susan Collins, have indicated they will cross the aisle to call witnesses.
The Republicans will most certainly call Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden to testify about the work he performed for Ukraine’s energy company Burisma in exchange for $3 million.
But some senators don’t believe a call for witnesses will happen.
“I believe that on Friday, when we get to a decision whether we’re gonna have witnesses, we’re not gonna do it,” said Florida Senator Rick Scott on Tuesday.
“I don’t believe we’re gonna have any witnesses. I think we’re gonna listen to the questions, we’ll see, uh, and after what happens with that, I believe we’ll see no witness.”
President Trump was impeached in December for abuse of power for allegedly withholding $391 million in military aid to Ukraine.
