Senate Reverses On Calling Witnesses, Read Statement From GOP Rep Into Record, Closing Arguments Start

February 13, 2021 Democrats, Trump Corruption

House managers and Trump’s defense team agreed to enter a statement from Rep. Herrera Beutler describing a phone call between former President Trump and House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy into the record. House impeachment managers had asked the Senate this morning to call witnesses in former President Trump’s second impeachment trial.

Instead, Senate and trial lawyers instead agreed hours later to insert the statement into the trial record, moving the trial toward a final vote later Saturday.

Lead impeachment manager Jamie Raskin read the statement from Herrera Beutler of Washington state into the trial record when the Senate resumed session on Saturday, admitting the statement into the trial evidence. The managers and Trump’s team then moved onto closing arguments without making any more calls for witnesses.

Senators settle on admitting a witness statement into Trump’s trial record instead of calling witnesses. They now expect to wrap impeachment today. https://t.co/mCRxW7xGNK pic.twitter.com/8i0y9X44Sv

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) February 13, 2021