LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Senate Impeachment Trial rolled onto and Friday evening a historic vote was cast to not allow witnesses moving forward in the trial. The vote was 49Y/51N
A few local lawmakers released statements on the vote Friday evening.
Indiana Senator Todd Young (R):
“It would establish a dangerous precedent if the Senate were to fix defective articles of impeachment. If the House felt that additional witnesses and evidence were necessary to prove their case, they should have pursued these legal disputes in the courts to protect the rights of the accused. This is exactly what our Founding Fathers’ carefully designed system of constitutional checks and balances calls for. In their rush to impeach this President, the House did not follow the appropriate process. It is for this reason, that I am duty bound to oppose the motion to call additional witnesses.”
US Senate Majority Leader and Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell (R):
"A majority of the U.S. Senate has determined that the numerous witnesses and 28,000-plus pages of documents already in evidence are sufficient to judge the House Managers’ accusations and end this impeachment trial.
There is no need for the Senate to re-open the investigation which the House Democratic majority chose to conclude and which the Managers themselves continue to describe as “overwhelming” and “beyond any doubt.” Never in Senate history has this body paused an impeachment trial to pursue additional witnesses with unresolved questions of executive privilege that would require protracted litigation. We have no interest in establishing such a new precedent, particularly for individuals whom the House expressly chose not to pursue.
Senators will now confer among ourselves, with the House Managers, and with the President’s counsel to determine next steps as we prepare to conclude the trial in the coming days."
Kentucky Congressman John Yarmuth (D):
"As Americans, we should demand is that there be a serious consideration of the charges that were brought against him. We didn't get that. And, I think again, democracy has been ill-served, our constitution has been violated, and it's a dark day in American history."
The final impeachment vote is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 5.
This list will be updated as more local politicians issue statements.
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