The Senate continued to debate Democrats’ proposed amendments concerning document and subpoena requests as the proceedings dragged on Tuesday night, as Republicans methodically continued voting them down one by one in a series of party-line votes — an early win for the White House, even as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made some tweaks that were likely to assuage Democrats’ concerns over scheduling.
The chamber handed President Trump a win by voting 53-47 four times to effectively kill a series of proposals from Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to subpoena White House, State Department and Office of Management and Budget documents, as well as acting White House Chief of Staff Mike Mulvaney, respectively. Fox News was told to expect three or four more amendments — including potentially similar amendments to subpoena officials such as former National Security Adviser John Bolton.
Eventually, once Democrats’ amendments are all defeated, the Senate is expected to vote sometime Tuesday night or Wednesday morning on McConnell’s underlying rules resolution in order to set the ground rules for the trial.
“It’s getting late,” White House counsel Pat Cipollone said late Thursday night, adding that he “would ask respectfully” that the chamber get on with oral arguments
As Democrats’ amendments were summarily shot down, reports emerged that some Democrats were privately considering something of a compromise: calling for the testimony of Hunter Biden in exchange for the appearance of some key administration officials. Biden obtained a lucrative board role with a Ukrainian company while his father, Joe Biden, was overseeing Ukrainian policy as vice president. Trump had asked in his now-infamous July 25 call with Ukraine’s president for a look into Joe Biden’s admitted pressure campaign to have Ukraine’s top prosecutor fired.
Republicans have sought to portray Trump’s push for a probe as a legitimate request given the Bidens’ dealings in Ukraine, while Democrats have alleged that senior administration officials would testify that the administration withheld military aid to Ukraine in order to secure a politically motivated probe.
Meanwhile, the barrage of amendments Tuesday night put into doubt whether the senators would have time to meet in a closed session to converse — which would be a valuable opportunity, given that the senators were legally barred from having any sustenance other than water or milk at their desk all day, and could not communicate verbally with one another during the proceedings.
The restriction on cellphone possession and oral interaction led some members to pass and flash written notes to each other like students in a classroom, as Democratic House impeachment managers and the president’s legal team traded lengthy legalistic arguments.
At one point during the proceedings, former Bill Clinton press secretary and CNN political analyst Joe Lockhart wrote on Twitter that Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz could go to “prison,” noting that Cruz’s Twitter account was posting tweets during the trial. Lockhart was quickly mocked by social media users pointing out that it’s common for senators’ Twitter accounts to be run by staff, and Cruz’s representatives confirmed to Fox News that Cruz had not sneaked his phone into the chamber.
Indeed, even Cruz’s couldn’t resist poking some fun at Lockhart, writing “COME AND TAKE IT,” with an image of a cellphone.
It was a moment of levity in an otherwise emotionally charged day, with Democrats accusing the president of “high crimes and misdemeanors” and Republicans calling out what they see as a transparent partisan stunt.
“It’s a partisan impeachment they’ve delivered to your doorstep in an election year,” Cipollone thundered early in the day, pointing out that Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, and others, were being pulled off the campaign trail. “Some of you should be in Iowa.”
“They’re not here to steal one election, they’re here to steal two elections,” Cipollone added.
Trump attorney Patrick Philbin said Democrats’ document requests were a “stunning admission” that House prosecutors, who had full rein to conduct their own impeachment inquiry, were now essentially asking the Senate “to do their job for them.”
@Deplorable Me:
You crack me up!
@Nathan Blue:
There’s also the fact that TRUMP is a political rival and Democrats have been investigating him since 2015. They have been investigating him to destroy his candidacy, his Presidency and then his second candidacy, all for political reasons. Of course, they have to try out the accusations themselves before they accuse someone else of it.
If Democrats think Bolton might turn on Trump and Republicans because he may have had his feelings hurt, they are only fooling themselves. I say, LET him testify. Most likely, he knows little first hand about any of this, particularly considering there is really nothing to know. He could be a very good witness to reveal some knowledge of what went on in Ukraine before Trump took charge. They might also want to remember that they don’t get to “test drive” Bolton in secret in the basement, like they did in the House. But, we also need to hear from Ciaramella, Vindman, Schiff, Leahy, Durbin, Menendez and the Biden’s. This won’t be the one-sided kangaroo court the Democrats constructed in the House.
@Nathan Blue: Trump never cared about Ukraine till traveling Rudy comes up with the Biden dirt and comrade Putin tells him “look at them for 2016 meddling.”
He’s trailing Joe by 10 points IN FOX POLL—no brainer says DT—Let’s withhold aid and W.H visit from newly elected comedian—till he announces investigation of Biden’s kid–
Comedian balks–whistle blower whistles—2 days later funds released–still no oval office meet and great
Not impeachable but typical Trump sleazy and purely self serving–censure would have sufficed.
No way Trump wins popular or E.C—Bloomberg beats him handily as woman and minorities vote overwhelmingly against his brand. Biden can also win though an historical brawl.
Dems hold House—too close to call in Senate
Gotta love Bolton—said he wanted no part of “drug deal”
@Richard Wheeler: Catherine Croft, a State Department official specializing in Ukraine, told a closed-door meeting that Trump, through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), held up the first grant of military aid to the Ukrainian government of then-President Petro Poroshenko partly because of concerns about the country’s corruption and the president’s frustration that the U.S. was expected to pay for its defense.
Yet she didnt get the television appearance that those that assumed Trump had only Bidens downfall in mind.
Eventually, President Trump provided the aid, particularly Javelin anti-tank missiles, which helped Ukraine push back the Russian advance.
But he did so, she said, after lecturing President Poroshenko — to his face — about Ukraine’s corruption and inability to pay for its own defense:
https://www.rawstory.com/2019/11/read-it-state-dept-ukraine-specialist-catherine-crofts-testimony-to-house-intelligence-committee-on-impeachment/
Bloomberg has a problem with women especially if they are Pregnant, he has a problem with 2nd amendment voters, Bloomberg has a likability problem. A huge timing problem that millions and millions of ads cant help.
Mayor Bloomberg Submits, Sanctions 911 Mega Mosque The Mayor of New York backs the fifteen-story mega-mosque that is slated to be built near Ground Zero.
Can you see the Managers are weaving a tale? They are lying.
@kitt: LIKABILITY PROBLEM—-That would be Trump–still mired in mid 40’s FOX POLL–Remember he only got 46% in last real poll—2016 election
Kitt –YOU/ Repubs spin your story on Ukraine Gate–Dems spin theirs—Probably some fibbing on both—LOL
@Richard Wheeler: All I did was link to testimony taken by buggy eye it just doesnt fit with his spin, so she didnt get to be in his made for tv special. You said
Where ever did you hear that? There have been decades of Biden family dirt. It went on steroids when he became VP.
What exactly did I spin?
Per lawsuit testimony:
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg allegedly told employee who had just announced pregnancy to “kill it.” “He told me to ‘kill it’ in a serious monotone voice,” the former employee claimed in a lawsuit.
@kitt: You said the managers are lying—-about what? They.ve made a great presentation—Repubs up next
Like I said—censure would have been appropriate–there is no question Rudy out looking for dirt–Trump took the wrong route to hurt Biden–as POTUS you can’t ask foreign power to investigate American citizens—-particularly while dangling Congressional appropriated funds and an oval office meet.—-THAT IS ABUSE OF POWER.
@Deplorable Me, #45:
In accordance with the Constitution, it is the House of Representatives that determines whether impeachment is required. Its members have done so. In such a case the Constitution then requires that the Senate conduct a trial, and that this be done in accordance with the members’ sworn Oath of Affirmation. Blowing off their sworn duty to do impartial justice because they don’t agree that the House should have brought charges to begin with is not a constitutional option. Declining to support the process is not a constitutional option. As with any legitimate trial, all relevant testimony and evidence must be allowed to presented, and a fair judgement be made based upon an impartial evaluation of the same. Anything less is a betrayal of the Constitution and the American people. Advocating less makes one complicit in an unlawful cover up.
@Greg: Actually declining to have a trial is part of the Senate responsibilities. If there is no case, there is no trial. There is no case greggie! It is quite simple. The HoR screwed up!
@Richard Wheeler: So, you would be OK with a President that used his high office to extort a foreign government to protect the corruption money he and his son were collecting. OK, got it, loud and clear.
Bloomberg doesn’t get the Democrat nomination (because the DNC did not choose him) and he runs as an independent. Who do you suppose THAT helps?
@Greg: There is NO evidence to support even holding impeachment hearings, much less impeachment in the House and trial in the Senate. This fact is borne out by the extreme level of lying going on among Democrats; lying about who Trump communicated with, what he said, what he MEANT and Biden’s criminal activity. Boiled down, there is NOTHING but opinion, assumption, speculation, presumption and lies. That is NOT what impeachment is for. It is NOT a political toy to use as a weapon to tell 63 million voters that since they voted for someone Democrats don’t like, their votes get shredded.
So, supporting this gross abuse of the impeachment mechanism the Founders put in our Constitution to PROTECT the Constitution is about as disloyal to the Constitution one can possibly be. It shows absolute disrespect for the Constitution and our country.