Impeachment trump: senators argue about calling witnesses

Republican senators held a meeting on calling witnesses, but apparently no final decision was made, writes "Voice of America".

Фото: Depositphotos

Lawyers for President Donald Trump have completed their arguments in the Senate impeachment appeal with an urgent acquittal.

Stating that “it's time to get it over with,” Trump’s lawyers dismissed the explosive allegations of former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton regarding the president’s behavior and accused the Democrats of trying to intervene in Trump’s second election campaign.

After that, the republican senators held a closed-door meeting to discuss the call of witnesses, including Bolton, but at the exit they said that no resolution was adopted on this issue.

To call witnesses, it is necessary that this initiative is supported not only by 47 Democrats and independents, but also by four Republicans.

According to the New York Times, Republican majority leader Mitch McConnell told the meeting that he does not currently have the votes needed to block Democrats' offer to call witnesses, as some Republicans have not yet vowed to vote against.

On the subject: Without phones and coffee: 7 facts about the work of senators during a meeting on impeachment

Republican Senator John Barrasso told reporters that the general view at the meeting was “we've heard enough, and it's time to move on to a final vote on the verdict.” However, other Republicans said the voting results were unclear and that a decision would be made no earlier than Friday, January 31.

Republican Senator Kevin Kramer, Trump’s conservative advocate opposing the call of witnesses, said Republicans “are basically united.”

“I’m pretty sure that she’s not unanimous. But I don’t know what the numbers are, ”he said.

Trump's lawyers tried to belittle the manuscript of an unpublished book by Bolton, which describes the central role of Trump in the campaign of pressure on Ukraine to force Kiev to investigate Democrat Joe Biden, one of Trump’s most likely rivals in the upcoming elections this year.

Speaking on Tuesday, January 28, one of Trump's lawyers, Jay Seculow, told the 100 senators who are now acting as jurors: “We are absolutely confident in our position that there was no“ service for service ””, referring to Trump’s request for President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky about opening an investigation against Joe Biden.

Sekulou said Trump was guided by a “proper government interest” in investigating possible corruption when he asked Kiev to open an investigation into Joe Biden and his son Hunter's work for Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company.

“He knew what he was talking about. It is incorrect to say that he did not act in the national interest, ”Seculou said, referring to the telephone conversation that took place between Trump and Zelensky on July 25.

During the third and final day of presenting the defense arguments, Seculou stated that the president should be acquitted on both counts of impeachment. Democrats accuse Trump of abusing presidential power and obstructing Congress.

“These articles should be rejected. This is required by the Constitution. The law requires this, ”the lawyer said.

On the subject: Trump impeachment trial: what is happening and what to expect

Pat Sipollone, White House legal adviser, said at the end of the hearing that "this show should end now, as soon as possible."

“Nothing in Bolton’s revelations, even if it’s true, has risen to the level of abuse of power or misconduct for which the president can be impeached,” said the famous lawyer Alan Dershowitz on Monday evening.

On Friday, January 31, a four-hour debate will be held in the Senate over Bolton's call to testify using a summons. In addition, the Democrats insist on calling witnesses who knew about Trump’s actions in relation to Ukraine, and on providing documents that are now at the disposal of the White House and federal departments.

Republicans supporting Trump do not consider Bolton a witness whose testimony is credible.

“I think at the moment, if you want to listen to John Bolton, you should ask yourself: is he an uninterested person? Does it keep neutrality? Or is he very unhappy - a dissatisfied fired employee who now has a motive, a multi-million dollar motive to fuel the situation? ”Says Senator Rand Paul.

Over the next two days, the senators will have 16 hours to ask Trump's lawyers and impeachment managers, who during the proceedings act as lawyers and prosecutors, respectively.

To remove Trump from power, at least two-thirds of the Senate votes are required. Given that Republicans control the upper house, and none of the party representatives supported impeachment, the president is likely to be acquitted.

Bolton's manuscript directly contradicts Trump's version of events. According to the New York Times, an ex-White House adviser writes that the president told him that he wants to freeze $ 391 million in military assistance to Ukraine if Kiev does not begin investigations into Democrats, including Biden and his son Hunter Biden.

Seculou told senators that impeachment was “not a game with leaks and manuscripts with obscure sources.”

“Unfortunately, this is politics,” he added.

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