U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement:
"Over 7 days, the Senate has already heard
testimony from 13 different witnesses in 192 video clips and received over
28,000 pages of documents."
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.
AP Photo Caption: “House Judiciary
Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., arrives at the Senate with
carts of documents as work resumes in the impeachment trial of
President Donald Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of
Congress, at the Capitol in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020.”
Even the House
managers say ‘we heard from enough witnesses to prove the case beyond any doubt
at all’.
“Democrats delivered 28,578 pages of evidence to the Senate on Saturday, marking the formal transfer of the House's impeachment record that supported their case to remove President Donald Trump from office.” (“28,578 pages of evidence,” Politico, 1/25/2020)
Yet Sen. Schumer and other senate democrats insist on new witnesses and documents.
The strategy to deluge the Senate also
carries significant risks as the House managers tried to hammer home somewhat
contradictory messages: their case is ‘overwhelming,’ but at the same time it’s
incomplete without calling new witnesses and subpoenaing documents they say are
necessary.
During the impeachment trial’s opening phase,
192 video clips of 13 different witnesses were played in the Senate:
1.
Gordon Sondland,
United States Ambassador to the European Union
2.
William Taylor,
former Acting United States Ambassador to Ukraine
3.
Tim Morrison,
former Senior Director for Europe and Russia on the National Security Council
4.
Jennifer Williams,
special adviser on Europe and Russia for Vice President Mike Pence
5.
David Holmes,
political counselor to the United States Embassy in Ukraine
6.
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman,
Director for European Affairs on the National Security Council
7.
Fiona Hill,
former Senior Director for Europe and Russia on the National Security Council
8.
Kurt Volker,
former United States Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations
9.
George Kent,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of European and Eurasian
Affairs
10. Marie Yovanovitch,
former United States Ambassador to Ukraine
11. Laura Cooper,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia
12. David Hale,
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
13.Joseph Maguire,
Acting Director of National Intelligence
(Congressional Record, 1/21-28/2020)
(“Trump Lawyers Argue Democrats Just Want To Overturn Election,” The Associated Press, 1/25/2020)
