Trump impeachment trial delivers closing argument after Senate skips witnesses, moves toward vote
The Senate on Saturday voted 55-45 to accept a surprise request by Democrats to potentially stall for days President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial by calling at least one witness.
Impeachment managers led by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said they want to depose and subpoena notes written by Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) regarding Trump’s remarks during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, which he was impeached for allegedly inciting.
Herrera Beutler said overnight that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told her that he pleaded with Trump during the riot to call his supporters off, but that Trump told him, “Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.”
Herrera Beutler — one of 10 House Republicans who voted last month to impeach Trump — said in a press release that she was not a direct witness to Trump’s remarks to McCarthy, but that the GOP leader “relayed to me” what Trump said.
Five Republicans backed the request for trial witnesses.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) warned Democrats before the surprise announcement by Raskin that “if you want a delay, it will be a long one with many, many witnesses.”
