Updated February 1st, 2020 at 16:27 IST
US Senate Minority leader calls vote on more witnesses a 'great tragedy'
US Senate during the proceeding voted to block and prevented the Democrats from introducing new key witnesses and documents during Trump's impeachment trial.
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The United States Senate during the proceeding voted to block and prevented the Democrats from introducing new key witnesses and documents in the impeachment trial of US President Donald Trump. Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has called the vote a 'great tragedy'.
Trump is almost guaranteed an acquittal
On Friday the Senate voted 51-49 against bringing more witnesses into the impeachment trial. Following this latest vote, US President Donald Trump is all acquitted because the Democrats do not have the votes in the Senate to find the President guilty. The Senate is scheduled to hear closing arguments by Democratic prosecutors and White House defence lawyers on Monday and a vote for acquittal on Wednesday. Trump is also scheduled to give his State of the Union speech in a special joint session of Congress.
I forced a third vote to subpoena John Bolton, providing one day for a deposition presided over by the Chief Justice, and one day for live Senate testimony—both of which must have occured within 5 days.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer)
But Senate Republicans voted for a cover-up and a sham trial.
We forced a fourth vote on @ChrisVanHollen’s amendment to require Chief Justice Roberts to rule on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents, and to rule on any assertion of privilege.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer)
But Senate Republicans voted for a cover-up and a sham trial.
The witnesses that the Democrats wanted to call on for the trial included former national security advisor John Bolton and White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.
Read: Senate Rejects Motion Calling For New Witnesses In Impeachment Trial, Sets Stage For Trump Acquittal
Read: Trump Florida Bound As Senate Votes On Impeachment
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, after the vote said that the Republicans that had voted in favour of blocking the witnesses were complicit in the President's cover-up. Pelosi also added that Trump cannot be acquitted without a trial and a fair trial cannot be held without key witnesses and documents.
You cannot be acquitted if you don’t have a trial. You don’t have a trial if you don’t have witnesses and documentation.
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi)
If Republican Senators choose a cover-up, the American people and history will judge it with the harshness it deserves.
In response to the vote, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell claimed that the Democrats had already presented enough evidence to make their case and there was no need for further witnesses. The final vote in the impeachment trial is scheduled for 4:00 pm on Wednesday.
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Published February 1st, 2020 at 16:27 IST