Senate Rejects Impeachment Witnesses, Paving the Way for Trump Acquittal

By Variety Staff

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The Senate narrowly rejected a vote to call witnesses in the trial of president Donald Trump on Friday, paving the way for an expected vote of acquittal next week.

The vote was 51-49. 

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) made an announcement shortly before the reconvened that she would be swinging the vote in the president’s favor. 

The only Republican senators who voted “yes” to witnesses were Mitt Rimney (Utah) and Susan Collins (Maine). 

Democrats sought testimony from former national security advisor John Bolton and other officials in the investigation of Trump’s alleged withholding of aid to Ukraine in exchange for information on Democrats in the 2020 election.

Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders called the Senate ruling a “sad day in American history,” adding, “I’ve never heard of a trial where you don’t have witnesses.”

Closing arguments in Trump’s impeachment trial will be held on Monday. The final vote by the Senate on conviction or acquittal will take place on Wednesday (Feb. 3) at 4 p.m. ET.