Senator opposes witness call

Vote could lead to abrupt end to Trump trial

REPUBLICAN Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee will oppose calling more witnesses in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, all but dashing Democratic efforts to hear more testimony and boosting odds the Senate will vote imminently to acquit without new testimony, in a matter of days.

Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine said late Thursday she would vote to allow witnesses in the impeachment trial, building momentum for the Democrats’ effort.

But Alexander then said in a statement there was “no need for more evidence”, giving the Trump team the likelihood of a Senate vote in its direction.

Collins, a centrist senator announced her decision after the Senate concluded a long question-and-answer session with the House Democrats prosecuting the charges and Trump’s lawyers defending him.

Alexander released his statement moments later.

A vote on the witness question, expected yesterday, could lead to an abrupt end of the trial with Trump’s expected acquittal. Or it could bring days, if not weeks more argument as Democrats press to hear testimony from former national security adviser John Bolton and others.

It would take four GOP senators to break with the majority and join with Democrats to tip the outcome.

Collins said, “The most sensible way to proceed would be for the House managers and the President’s attorneys to attempt to agree on a limited and equal number of witnesses for each side. If they can’t agree, then the Senate could choose the number of witnesses.”

But Alexander said that “there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the US