CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The U.S. Senate on Friday rejected an opportunity to hear from new witnesses in the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump, setting the stage for a final vote on the charges next week.
The 51-49 vote prevents senators from allowing documents and witnesses, including former national security advisor John Bolton, whose upcoming book details actions by Trump regarding aid to Ukraine and an investigation into the Biden family.
Democratic senators — including West Virginia’s Joe Manchin — voted for the motion, as did Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Mitt Romney of Utah. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and the rest of her Republican colleagues were against the attempt.
“We’ve already had 17 witnesses and tens of thousands of pages of evidence,” Capito said ahead of the vote.
“I believe that if the House felt that John Bolton would have been a witness that would have been crucial to their case, that they should have called them in the House. They should have performed their duty and not sent to the Senate what I think is a flimsy product that doesn’t have overwhelming evidence that the president should be removed from office.”
The House charged Trump in December with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress stemming from a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in which Trump asked for an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son. The Trump administration additionally delayed $391 million in military aid to Ukraine around the time of the call.
In Bolton’s book, he claims Trump withheld aid in an attempt to get information on Biden.
House Democrats accuse Trump of blocking access to documents and preventing officials from testifying during the chamber’s inquiry.
Capito added the House can review Bolton and other individuals when the Senate trial ends.
“It’s a partisan case, it’s underwhelming, and it’s unconvincing,” she said.
Manchin said earlier this week senators should conduct a thorough trial, which means having witnesses.
Trump’s legal team and House managers will hold closing arguments on Monday with a vote on the articles of impeachment scheduled for Wednesday. Two-thirds of all senators are required to remove Trump from office, and Friday’s vote signals a likely acquittal for the president.
Capito said Friday she will vote for acquitting Trump. West Virginia Senate President Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson, and Republican lawmakers sent a letter to Manchin asking him to oppose removing Trump from office.