The US Senate could acquit Donald Trump of impeachment charges as early as Friday after Democratic efforts to call trial witnesses appeared to fall short, handing the president a decisive political vi
ctory heading into a tough re-election fight.
Only the third US president to be impeached and stand trial, Trump is accused of illicitly pressuring Ukraine -- including by holding up some $391 million in defense aid -- to investigate rival Democrats including his possible 2020 challenger Joe Biden. A third Republican, Lisa Murkowski, remained on the fence early Friday, but even if she does support witnesses, that would leave Democrats with 50 votes, one shy of the majority they need.
The 79-year-old senator from Tennessee, who plans to retire this year, said Trump's actions had been"inappropriate," but he did not see the president's wrongdoing as serious enough to merit impeachment and removal from office."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," he said.
Democrats said refusing to call witnesses to the trial -- they have been seeking Bolton and three senior White House aides, including Trump's chief of staff Mick Mulvaney -- was tantamount to a cover-up.
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