GOP had been confident about defeating witness vote this week but the NYT report about Bolton’s manuscript adds new uncertainty, per several GOP sources
“The witness vote was always going to be tough,” said one source involved in the strategy. “The story makes that clear again”
“The witness vote was always going to be tough,” said one source involved in the strategy. “The story makes that clear again”
After defense arguments, the Senate will have four hours of debate on whether to subpoena witnesses and documents. After the debate, the Senate will vote. If that motion gets 51 votes, then the Senate could move ahead with further votes determine who to subpoena, including Bolton
If 51 senators then vote to subpoena Bolton, the Senate resolution says he first must be deposed. Then the Senate would have to decide whether to make him testify in public.
This all means that the trial could be in limbo if the Senate decides to subpoena Bolton, especially given the legal battles that may ensue from any WH attempts to block testimony
But if the Senate defeats the first motion to subpoena witnesses, Trump may soon be acquitted.
But if the Senate defeats the first motion to subpoena witnesses, Trump may soon be acquitted.
There are 16 hours of senators’ questions after the defense arguments and before the witness vote
At the end of the day, Dems need four GOP votes - and they don’t have them yet. No R wants to be vote 51 so they’ll probably need more than four to break ranks. Whether they will depends on what defense argument on Bolton is tomorrow and if that’s enough to keep Rs from defecting
