Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnel alongside his Republican senate
colleagues were seen on Friday night looking joyful while the Senate
Democrats looked dejected after senators voted 51-49 to not call
witnesses on Friday.
The narrow vote
came after Republican senators said they did not need to hear more
evidence, and pressed toward acquitting President Trump next week.
Donald Trump’s impeachment trial at the senate will now surely end
next week Wednesday just after Trump delivers his State of the Union
speech to congress on Tuesday.
Two Republicans, Mitt Romney and Susan Collins, joined Democrats in
their push for witnesses – but it was not enough as Republicans had
majority votes of 51 and voted against calling witnesses while 49 other
senators (majority Democrats) voted in favour of witnesses.
The witnesses, like John Bolton are needed by Democrats to
corroborate House of Reps allegations that Trump abused his power and
obstructed congress by withholding military aid to Ukraine in exchange
for investigations into his political rival, Joe Biden.
Democrats like Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer could be seen
fuming while calling the vote ‘a tragedy on a very large scale.’ While
Republican senators eventually had the last laugh.
More photos below
