Well, that’s the ballgame on new witnesses, folks. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) had said he would announce his decision on whether he would stain the integrity of the Senate by supporting an unprecedented push for new witnesses in the shoddy and hyper-partisan impeachment push against Donald Trump that’s been executed by congressional Democrats. D.C. has been engulfed by this circus and Alexander was a key vote in whether this soft coup attempt would continue. He finally announced late Thursday night that he’s not going to entertain keeping this circus going any longer.
"I worked with other senators to make sure that we have the right to ask for more documents and witnesses, but there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the United States Constitution’s high bar for an impeachable offense," Alexander said in a statement.
"The Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year’s ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate," he added.
Key swing vote Sen. Lamar Alexander told me he's going to announce his decision on witnesses TONIGHT, a decision that will make clear whether the Senate trial will come to a swift conclusion or if it will lead to a new phase over witnesses and documents.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 31, 2020
BREAKING: Sen. Lamar Alexander will vote "No" on additional witnesses thus bringing the Senate impeachment trial to a close pending tomorrow morning's NY Times blockbuster, game-changing exclusive via anonymous source (Adam Avenatti Schiff)
— Larry O'Connor (@LarryOConnor) January 31, 2020
Go to sleep.
B) Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) and now Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) are indicating they are for witnesses. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) says he will not support witnesses. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is up in the air.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 31, 2020
NEW: The Senate is on track to acquit Trump after Sen. Lamar Alexander announced Thursday night he will vote against calling for additional witnesses.https://t.co/lTlikWvGCB
— Axios (@axios) January 31, 2020
Breaking: Senator Lamar Alexander to oppose new witnesses in Trump trial. #FoxNews
— Martha MacCallum (@marthamaccallum) January 31, 2020
A thought on Lamar Alexander:
— Tim Alberta (@TimAlberta) January 31, 2020
His retirement is less relevant than you might think. Trump’s grip on the GOP has implications far beyond elected office. Lamar is looking forward to a life after politics — and he knows it will be complicated by any break w/ Trump over impeachment.
Alexander is retiring after the conclusion of this current term. Sens. Mitt Romney (R-UT) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) remain wild cards. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) will be supporting the Democrats’ plot to keep the Senate from doing the work of governing the country. Even if Romney and Murkowski side with Democrats, which is possible because they're weak liberal RINOs, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell still has to votes to block this Democratic push in this impeachment effort.
I will vote in support of the motion to allow witnesses and documents to be subpoenaed. My full statement: https://t.co/VuhZv6CO5e pic.twitter.com/LhQlnvPaoc
— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) January 31, 2020
Sen. Alexander's statement was shared on Twitter in a lengthy thread:
I worked with other senators to make sure that we have the right to ask for more documents and witnesses, but there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the U.S. Constitution’s high bar for an impeachable offense.1/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
There is no need for more evidence to conclude that the president withheld United States aid, at least in part, to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens; the House managers have proved this with what they call a “mountain of overwhelming evidence.” 3/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
It was inappropriate for the president to ask a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent and to withhold United States aid to encourage that investigation. 5/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
When elected officials inappropriately interfere with such investigations, it undermines the principle of equal justice under the law. 6/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
But the Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year’s ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate. 7/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
I believe that the Constitution provides that the people should make that decision in the presidential election that begins in Iowa on Monday. 9/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
The Senate has spent nine long days considering this “mountain” of evidence, the arguments of the House managers and the president’s lawyers, their answers to senators’ questions and the House record. 10/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
The framers believed that there should never, ever be a partisan impeachment. That is why the Constitution requires a 2/3 vote of the Senate for conviction. Yet not one House Republican voted for these articles. 12/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
It would create the weapon of perpetual impeachment to be used against future presidents whenever the House of Representatives is of a different political party. 14/15
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
Our founding documents provide for duly elected presidents who serve with “the consent of the governed,” not at the pleasure of the United States Congress.
— Sen. Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
Let the people decide.
15/15
And this part of Alexander's statement captures why this impeachment effort must not succeed.
If this shallow, hurried and wholly partisan impeachment were to succeed, it would rip the country apart, pouring gasoline on the fire of cultural divisions that already exist. It would create the weapon of perpetual impeachment to be used against future presidents whenever the House of Representatives is of a different political party.
Democrats still cannot get over the 2016 election. They pushed us to this and perverted our institutions in the process.