Republicans block impeachment trial witnesses, clear path for Trump acquittal
Washington, February 1
The Republican Party-controlled US Senate on Friday narrowly rejected the opposition Democrats’ motion to call new witnesses and documents for the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump.
As a result, the Senate is expected to acquit Trump of the charges early next week. He is scheduled to deliver his third State of the Union Address on February 4. The move to invite new witnesses was defeated by 51 to 49 votes.
In the 100-member Senate, the Republican Party has 53 seats and the Democrats 47. Two of the Republican Senators, Mitt Romney and Susan Collins, sided with the Democrats in this vote to call former White House national security advisor John Bolton and other Trump aides to testify. The Democrats need 67 votes to convict and remove Trump from the White House. — PTI
