In the immediate aftermath of the Friday vote blocking new witnesses in the Senate regarding the partisan impeachment of President Donald Trump, a fuming Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called the moment a “grand tragedy.”
“To not allow a witness, a document, no witnesses, no documents, in an impeachment trial is a perfidy,” a visibly upset Schumer said to reporters on Friday evening.
“It’s a grand tragedy, one of the worst tragedies that the Senate has ever overcome,” he added.
As noted by The Hill, the Senate voted 49-51 to block witnesses, paving the way for President Trump’s acquittal. Republican Senators Mitt Romney (UT) and Susan Collins (ME) both defected, joining the Democrats to vote in favor of new witnesses.
Ahead of the vote, Mr. Schumer zeroed-in on Senate Republicans.
“If my Republican colleagues refuse to even consider witnesses and documents in this trial, this country is headed towards the greatest cover-up since Watergate,” the leading Democrat railed, The Hill reported.
“If my Republican colleagues refuse to even consider witnesses and documents in the trial, what will the president conclude?” Schumer added. “We all know: he’ll conclude he can do it again, and congress can do nothing about it. He can try to cheat in his election again, something that eats at the roots of our democracy.”
As noted by The Daily Wire, it was the vote of moderate Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski (AK) that effectively killed the Democrats attempted to prolong the partisan impeachment.
Murkowski effectively killed Democrats’ hope for a prolonged trial when she released a statement on Friday stating that she was not in favor of calling new witnesses.
“I worked for a fair, honest, and transparent process, modeled after the Clinton trial, to provide ample time for both sides to present their cases, ask thoughtful questions, and determine whether we need more,” the Republican said in a statement released Friday. “The House chose to send articles of impeachment that are rushed and flawed. I carefully considered the need for additional witnesses and documents , to cure the shortcoming, but ultimately decided that I will vote against considering motions to subpoena.”
“Given the partisan nature of this impeachment from the very beginning and throughout, I have come to the conclusion that there will be no fair trial in the Senate. I don’t believe the continuation of this process will change anything,” continued Murkowski. “It is sad for me to admit that, as an institution, the Congress has failed.”
Another potential swing vote, Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN) announced Thursday that he, too, would vote against witnesses.
“I worked with other senators to make sure that we have the right to ask for more documents and witnesses, but there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the U.S. Constitution’s high bar for an impeachable offense,” Alexander announced. “There is no need for more evidence to prove that the president asked Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter; he said this on television on October 3, 2019, and during his July 25, 2019, telephone call with the president of Ukraine.”
WATCH:
"To not allow a witness, a document, no witnesses, no documents, in an impeachment trial is a perfidy. It's a grand tragedy, one of the worst tragedies that the Senate has ever overcome."
Sen. Schumer speaks after the Senate rejects impeachment witnesses https://t.co/tS8xkA1NJe pic.twitter.com/8qRDcb7LA1
— The Hill (@thehill) January 31, 2020
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