Posted on 01/31/2020 5:50:00 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
Senators defeated a last-ditch effort by Democrats to call witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Trump Friday evening, then approved a final schedule that will force a vote Wednesday on Mr. Trump’s fate.
That means the president will deliver his State of the Union address Tuesday while still under the cloud of impeachment, but will almost certainly be acquitted the next day.
In a series of votes, Republicans blocked Sen. Charles E. Schumer’s attempt to get former National Security Adviser John R. Bolton to testify. The GOP also shot down an attempt by Democrats to outsource all witness decisions to Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who has been presiding over the trial but not playing an active role in decision.
After defeating those motions, the Senate adopted its final schedule on a 53-47 vote.
Under the new rules, the chamber has adjourned until Monday, when it will return to hear final arguments from the House Democrats prosecuting the case, and from the president’s defense team.
The trial will then take a break Tuesday, giving Mr. Trump space to deliver his speech from the House chamber that night. Then the trial will reconvene Wednesday at 4 p.m., when a final vote on both articles of impeachment will occur.
The GOP believes it has the votes to acquit Mr. Trump, and may even pick up support from Democrat or two.
The president’s team welcomed Friday’s agreement.
“The president is gratified,” said Eric Ueland, the White House liaison to Congress. “We do not believe that that schedule interferes with his ability to deliver strong and confident State of the Union in the House of Representatives.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
I would not deliver the SOTU speech until after.
GOPe did this on purpose. Trump should get to do the SOTU without this over his head. They should have gone through the weekend to make sure that happened!
This is going to be one historic SOTU speech.
Why don’t they hold the vote tonight? GET IT OVER WITH ALREADY, It has been a sham from day one!
I’d do it Tuesday; they didn’t even get him out of step.
Perhaps it was the price for Murkowski’s “No” vote on witnesses.
📌📺📌📺📌
Speaking with Fox News @seanhannity tonight at 9:20pm about the latest on #ImpeachmentTrial.
Tune in!— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) February 1, 2020
Now that the dems lost the vote on Bolton, nobody is watching anyway. The drama is over.
Schiff Dems saying it was NOT a trial at all now because of this..
So what did this buy you weak kneed Senate Republicans demanding a long drawn out trial to appease Dems?
We should start a betting pool for the number of new “witnesses” who will come forward between now and the vote.
This is the usual weak-kneed, ball-less, shameful behavior we expect from the dimbulbs in the GOP Senate. That the President should have to run the gauntlet to give his State of the Union Address is unforgiveable.
I'm in!
One by Monday. Two by Wednesday.
What's the prize, by the way?
Schumer had enough material to tie the senate up in trial mode until 4pm Wednesday. He threatened to do that.
The senators don't want to sit in trial, so they set up a fake-trial system wehre they aren;t in trial, but the formal record will look like they are in trial.
What GOP did on purpose was exclude a motion to dismiss without a vote on guilt or innocence. The senate gave Clinton a vote on MTD, even though it failed.
Failed institutions, both sides of Congress.
Yes agreed. I believe this SOTU will be historic and force some vote changes to make PDJT’s aquittal bipartisan.
4D chess by the master.
I think this is an appropriate in the face gesture to the Democrats . They deserve it!
Nipsey said it best:
Pro and Con are opposites, that fact is clearly seen.
If progress means to move forward, then what does Congress mean?
Our side needs to drive home the point that a trial can be abuse of power.
When the prosecutor hauls an accused in without a valid case, we don't make the accused go through a trial to add further injury.
Not only did the House abuse its power by impeaching Trump w/o due process, and on sham legal theory of "wrong," the senate added to the error by not dismissing the articles for that reason.
Well, now we know the senate will tie itself up for two weeks on ANY articles of impeachment. Bring in garbage, and make the same argument that it is up to the senate to conduct a trial. The public will fall for it.
Because the Senators want to make speeches.
Grandstand first, then vote.
More people will watch the SOTU than would have if the impeachment verdict had already been decided. Trump has a chance to really wow them and I think that he will.
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