Swing-vote GOP Sen. Alexander comes out against witnesses, paving way for imminent Trump acquittal | Fox News

Swing-vote GOP Sen. Alexander comes out against witnesses, paving way for imminent Trump acquittal | Fox News

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Swing-vote Republican comes out against impeachment witnesses, paving way for imminent Trump acquittal
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., announced late Thursday night that he would not support additional witnesses in President Trump's "shallow, hurried and wholly partisan" Senate impeachment trial, seemingly ending Democrats' hopes of hearing testimony from former national security adviser John Bolton and paving the way for the president's imminent acquittal as soon as Friday night.

Republicans have a 53-47 majority in the chamber and can afford up to three defections when the Senate considers whether to call additional witnesses Friday -- a question that is considered by a simple majority vote. In the event of a 50-50 tie, by rule, the vote on witnesses would fail in the Senate. Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts is likely to abstain rather than assert his debatable power to cast a tie-breaking vote.

Should the witness vote fail as expected, the Senate would likely then vote on the articles of impeachment Friday night or sometime Saturday. An extraordinarily unlikely two-thirds supermajority vote is needed to convict and remove Trump; otherwise, he will be acquitted.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, perhaps in response to comments from Trump lawyer Alan Dershowitz, accused Trump's legal team of trampling the Constitution and wondered how they could hold on to their law licenses. Click here for more on our top story. 

Other developments in Trump's Senate impeachment trial:
 - Fox News Exclusive: Trump confident in acquittal: 'Very boring to watch'
 - Why Justice Roberts appeared irritated with Elizabeth Warren
 - Nadler appears to steal podium from Schiff in viral moment