Democrats Wimp Out After Senators Vote to Call Witnesses for Impeachment Trial

Left: Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Right: Rep. Herrera Beutler (R-WA)

Washington, D.C. — Democrats wimped out after Senators voted to call witnesses for the impeachment trial on Saturday morning.

But wait, wasn’t there already an agreement before Saturday not to call any witnesses for the impeachment trial? Yes, there was, and that’s where things become confusing.

The Senate was thrown into chaos Saturday morning when House impeachment managers made a move to depose and subpoena Representative Herrera Beutler (R-WA).

Beutler claimed overnight that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) told her he begged Trump to call off his supports. Trump allegedly responded, “Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.”

Impeachment manager Jamie Raskin (D-MD) led the charge to call Beutler as a witness. In response, Trump’s legal team threatened to call more than 100 witnesses, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Calling that many witnesses would drag the impeachment trial out for weeks, even months.

Under the current agreement for the trial procedures, both Democrats and the GOP can request witnesses. Senators can debate each witness for up to two hours each.

Both sides recoiled at the prospect of debating dozens if not hundreds of witnesses ultimately resulting in an agreement not to call Beutler as a witness.

Instead, both sides agreed to have Beutler’s notes regarding her conversation with McCarthy read into the record.

Democrat fears that Trump’s defense team would use leaders like Pelosi to turn the impeachment narrative in their favor likely played a factor in the sudden change of heart as well.

As it stands now, a vote to convict or acquit Trump is expected to take place later on Saturday.

Trump is expected to be acquitted of the impeachment charge, with Democrats far from the supermajority (67 of 100 senators) needed to convict the former president. Only 55-57 senators are expected to vote to convict Trump for “incitement of insurrection.”

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