Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, might have tipped her hand on her stance for calling more witnesses in President Donald Trump’s impeach trial — asking the White House defense team Thursday why former National Security Adviser John Bolton should not be called to testify.
"I am going to go reflect on what I have heard, re-read my notes and decide whether I need to hear more," Murkowski reportedly said after the conclusion of Thursday's question and answer session.
Another swing vote, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, posted her decision on Twitter that she is a "yes" vote for witnesses.
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, has also been seen as a possible vote for witnesses.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., announced he believes there is "no need for more evidence."
Murkowski noted conflicting accounts about Trump's decision to delay U.S. aid to Ukraine "weighs in favor" of hearing from additional witnesses, The Hill reported.
"This dispute about material facts weighs in favor of calling additional witnesses with direct knowledge. Why should this body not call Amb. Bolton," Murkowski asked in a question on the second day of second day of a question and answer session, The Hill reported.
In her question, Murkowski pointed out U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland and Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., have both said Trump did not withhold $391 million in aid to Ukraine as leverage to press for corruption probes — including those of Joe Biden.
She said The New York Times report of Bolton's unpublished manuscript suggests otherwise.
But Patrick Philbin, a member of the president's defense team, argued the House voted to impeach Trump before it collected all the evidence it wanted to use in the Senate trial, The Hill reported.
"The most important consideration, I think, that this chamber has before it . . . has to do with the precedent that is established here for what kind of impeachment proceeding this body will accept from now going forward," he said, warning about setting the "new normal" for future presidential impeachment proceedings, The Hill reported.
The issue about further witnesses is expected to be voted Friday. Democrats will need four Republicans to vote in favor of calling in witnesses — if no Democrats defect from the party-line, The Hill noted.
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