HIS SOURCE WAS PAUL SPERRY, WHO IS VERY CREDIBLE...
www.politico.com /news/2020/01/31/trumps-impeachment-trial-could-extend-into-next-week-109937
Trump’s impeachment trial could extend into next week
By Natasha Bertrand
The Senate impeachment trial for President Donald Trump could drag into next week, even as GOP leaders appear to have the votes needed to prevent additional witnesses and testimony from being offered, according to Republican senators and aides.
Republicans suggest the trial could extend into Wednesday of next week due to scheduling concerns over the Iowa caucuses on Monday and Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday.
“It’s probably going to drift a little bit,” said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D), the No. 2 Senate Republican. “May well [go] into next week.”
White House officials wanted more time to prepare their closing arguments in the case, said several sources close to the issue.
A delay would also provide more time for closed-door deliberations by senators, and would allow them time to make their own statements from the floor on the case.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is expected to make an announcement on the floor Friday afternoon.
“I think there’s probably interest on both sides to bring this to a reasonable conclusion,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas.) said. “The question is how do we land this airplane in a way that is fair to everybody concerned and I think we’ll hear more about that from the leader at some point.”
A senior administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested it will take the Senate leader time to set up the witness vote and the final vote on acquittal.
“And then once we've finished the time to set up the final vote on acquittals, then it will take time to actually go through all the debate,” the official said.
The organizing resolution controlling the impeachment trial only covers up to the period when the Senate debates the issue of whether to depose additional witnesses, which the House managers and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have been strongly pushing for during the last two weeks. McConnell and the White House adamantly opposed that motion, arguing it was unnecessary and could drag the trial on for weeks or months.
With Sen. Lamar Alexander’s (R-Tenn.) statement late Thursday night saying he opposed witnesses, it looked like McConnell’s efforts had succeeded and the trial would be brought to a close quickly. Schumer could offer motions to delay the acquittal vote, but as long as McConnell has 51 votes, he could do anything he wanted inside the framework of the trial.
However, the White House request for additional time for closing arguments will upset that timetable.
Some Senate Republicans argued that the proceedings should be brought to a close as quickly as possible.
"This would be a very bad idea,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) tweeted. “After 70+ hours of argument & debate, 180+ questions, the positions are well defined. Time to vote.”
“I would think we would finish today. Maybe a long day, but I think we should go ahead and plow through,” added Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). |
