Sen. Lisa Murkowski announces she's voting no on witnesses, appearing to secure Trump's acquittal in the impeachment trial

• Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, announced Friday that she'll vote with the majority of her party to block witnesses from testifying in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial.
• The news appeared to secure Trump's acquittal after months of testimony and debate over his campaign to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rivals.
• Murkowski, a moderate, had indicated she may be willing to hear witnesses as late as Thursday.
• Just two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Mitt Romney of Utah, have announced that they'll vote "yes" on the motion to call witnesses.
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Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, announced Friday that she'll vote with the majority of her party to block witnesses from testifying in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial.

The news appeared to secure Trump's acquittal after months of testimony and debate over his campaign to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rivals.

Murkowski, a moderate, had indicated she could be willing to hear witnesses as late as Thursday. Just two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Mitt Romney of Utah, have announced that they'll vote "yes" on the motion to call witnesses.

A key turning point came on Thursday night when Sen. Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican who was considered a possible vote for witnesses, said that while Trump's actions concerning Ukraine were "inappropriate," he'd vote "no" on the motion.

"Let the people decide," he concluded, referring to the 2020 presidential election.

Alexander's move made it likely that Democrats would fail to win over the four Republican votes they need to reach a 51-senator majority required to call witnesses.

Also on Thursday night, Murkowski asked Trump's defense team why Americans shouldn't hear more evidence, including from the former national security adviser John Bolton.

"This dispute about material facts weighs in favor of calling additional witnesses with direct knowledge," Murkowski said. "Why should this body not call Ambassador Bolton?"

Democrats have been pushing to hear from four key witnesses, including Bolton and Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, both of whom were direct witnesses to the president's Ukraine pressure campaign that is at the center of his impeachment.

If Republicans succeed in blocking witnesses, the trial will proceed to its final stages. The timing for a vote to remove or acquit the president remains unclear and will depend on whether senators want to debate into the night on Friday or opt to adjourn and continue the process into the weekend.