Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski get the cover they need to vote for witnesses in Trump's impeachment trial
- Republican senators are poised to block any witnesses from testifying in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial in a vote scheduled for Friday.
- A key turning point came on Thursday night, when Sen. Lamar Alexander announced he'll vote "no" on the motion.
- Alexander's decision gives cover to two vulnerable GOP senators, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who have both since said they'll vote "yes" on witnesses.
- Democrats need four Republican votes to reach a 51-vote majority and pass the motion, but just three Republicans appear ready to vote with them on the issue.
- Collins and Murkowski will be able to tell their constituents and supporters back home, which include many independents and Democrats, that they showed independence from their party at a key moment.
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Republican senators are poised to block any witnesses from testifying in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial in a vote scheduled for Friday that would move the trial into its final stage.
A key turning point came on Thursday night, when Sen. Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican who was considered a possible vote for witnesses, announced that Trump's actions concerning Ukraine were "inappropriate," but that he'll vote "no" on the motion to include new evidence.
"Let the people decide," he concluded, referring to the 2020 presidential election.
But three Republican senators are ready to defect from their party. Notably, this falls one short of the four GOP votes Democrats need to reach a 51-person majority and pass the motion.
Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Mitt Romney of Utah announced Thursday that they'll vote "yes" on the motion to call witnesses. And Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska appears ready to join them.
"I believe hearing from certain witnesses would give each side the opportunity to more fully and fairly make their case, resolve any ambiguities, and provide additional clarity," Collins said in a statement Thursday night.
Also on Thursday night, Murkowski asked Trump's defense team why Americans shouldn't hear more evidence.
"This dispute about material facts weighs in favor of calling additional witnesses with direct knowledge. Why should this body not call Ambassador Bolton?" Murkowski asked.
Democrats have been pushing to hear from four key witnesses, including acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton, both of whom were direct witnesses to the president's pressure campaign on Ukraine that is at the center of impeachment.
It's unclear what the political ramifications will be for this key vote and Trump's impeachment trial more broadly. But if Collins and Murkowski both vote to include witnesses, they'll be able to tell their constituents and supporters back home, which include many independents and Democrats, that they showed independence from their party at a key moment.
If Republicans succeed in blocking witnesses, the trial will proceed to its final stages. The timing on a final 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.
According to recent Insider polling, voters are overwhelmingly in favor of hearing from witnesses.
When asked, "What best describes your view about the impeachment proceedings?", just 13% of American adults said they "don't see a need for witnesses," while 65% want some combination of witnesses - either just the direct witnesses, just indirect witnesses, or both.