reject the idea of simply voting to dismiss the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump as the House prepares to send the charges to the chamber for the historic trial.
"I think our members, generally are not interested in the motion to
dismiss. They think both sides need to be heard,” Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.,
who is part of GOP leadership, said Monday.
It will be only the third presidential impeachment trial in American
history, a serious and dramatic endeavor coming amid the backdrop of a
politically divided nation and the start of an election year.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not set the timing for the House vote that will
launch the Senate action. Trump was impeached by the Democratic-led
House last month on charges of abuse of power over pushing Ukraine to
investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden and obstruction of Congress in
the probe. Democrats said the vote could be Wednesday.
With the impeachment trial starting in a matter of days, senators are
still debating the rules of the proceedings. GOP senators are conferring
privately about whether to allow a motion to dismiss the charges
against the president or to call additional witnesses for testimony.
Trump suggested over the weekend he might prefer simply dismissing the
charges rather than giving legitimacy to charges from the House, which
he considers a "hoax.”
It was an extraordinary suggestion, but one being proposed by Trump
allies with support from some GOP senators, including Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell.
But it is clear McConnell does not have the votes needed from his GOP majority to do that.
One key Republican, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, said she, too, would oppose a motion to dismiss the charges.
Collins is leading an effort among some Republicans, including Sens.
Mitt Romney of Utah and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, to ensure the ground
rules include plans to eventually consider voting to call witnesses.
"My position is that there should be a vote on whether or not witnesses should be called,” Collins said.
Romney said he wants to hear from John Bolton, the former national
security adviser at the White House, who others have said raised alarms
about the alternative foreign policy toward Ukraine being run led by
Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.
"I've said I'd like to hear from John Bolton,” Romney told reporters
Monday. "I expect that barring some kind of surprise, I'll be voting in
favor of hearing from witnesses after those opening arguments.”
Democrats have been pushing Republicans, who have the majority in the
Senate, to consider new testimony, arguing that fresh information has
emerged during Pelosi's month long delay in transmitting the charges.
McConnell is drafting an organizing resolution that will outline the
steps ahead. Approving it will be among the first votes senators take
after they are sworn as jurors by Supreme Court Chief Justice John
Roberts for the Court of Impeachment.
Republicans control the chamber, 53-47, and are all but certain to acquit Trump. McConnell is hesitant to call new witnesses who would prolong the trial. He prefers to model Trump's trial partly on the process used for then-President Bill Clinton's trial in 1999.
It takes just 51 votes during the impeachment trial to approve rules or
call witnesses. Just four GOP senators could form a majority with
Democrats to insist on new testimony. It also would take only 51
senators to vote to dismiss the charges against Trump.
Most Republicans appear willing to go along with McConnell's plan to
start the trial first then consider witnesses later, rather than
upfront, as Democrats want.
Collins is pushing to have at least the promise of witness votes
included in the organizing resolution. She and the others appear to be
gathering support.
"I've been working to make sure that we will have a process that we can take a vote on whether or not we need additional information, and yes, that would include witnesses,” Murkowski told reporters.
McConnell is expected to huddle privately with senators at their weekly lunch Tuesday.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters the House vote might come Wednesday. "Could be,” he said.
VOA