Moderate GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rob Portman of Ohio and Marco Rubio of Florida issued statements Friday saying they will vote against allowing witnesses and additional documents in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.
Murkowski’s announcement, which came first, likely dealt the “fatal blow” to Democrats’ effort to compel new evidence, according to the New York Times.
Reactions from Twitter below.
You can tell they all know Trump is guilty as hell and they’re a bunch of craven cowards, because their attempted rationalizations are just absolutely ludicrous. https://t.co/p0ncajcapg
— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) January 31, 2020
This is so goddamn weaselly I want to put it in the ferret cage in a pet store.https://t.co/qENadUuKjA
— Gary Legum (@GaryLegum) January 31, 2020
Is this a riddle? https://t.co/w1o9CFsKdC
— Stephanie Ruhle (@SRuhle) January 31, 2020
Portman is also a No.
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) January 31, 2020
Portman also believes the president did it, tried to cheat in the election and corruptly squeeze a foreign country, but he won't remove him for it.
He doesn't think the Senate can be bothered to take "weeks if not months" to call witnesses. https://t.co/Y8kCcDnaLK
Portman wants to get back to work for the American people. Can't wait to see all the great stuff @GOP will do once Senate Rs dispose of this trial. More tax cuts for the 1%? Killing pre-existing condition coverage?? Options are endless. https://t.co/NrlBcLBsVY
— Kerry Eleveld (@kerryeleveld) January 31, 2020
Murkowski issues pathetic nonsense statement and will be the decisive vote for the cover-up, because Republicans don't know if they can count on Roberts to complete the cover-up for them. https://t.co/hhsf98u4tu
— Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) January 31, 2020
Susan Collins gets to tell Maine she didn't assist in the rigging of a sham trial. Lisa Murkowski gets to tell Alaska voters she stood up for Trump's kingly right to commit crimes & get away with it without a real trial.
— Ashton Pittman (@ashtonpittman) January 31, 2020
Sad day for democracy, great one for McConnell.
Another stunningly illogical rationale. Murkowski says there is not going to be a fair trial in the Senate and therefore will vote against witnesses. Generally, witnesses are a key element of a fair trial. https://t.co/6xIZSKtwkH
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) January 31, 2020
A senator from Alaska — a state with something like 750,000 souls in it — gets to decide one of the most monumental things in Senate history. That is insanity, and @lisamurkowski is not only a terrible senator, she's also a terrible person with no principles. Folded to McConnell.
— Matthew Rettenmund (@mattrett) January 31, 2020
A co-conspirator speaks out. https://t.co/OkGaetc347
— Dan Gillmor (@dangillmor) January 31, 2020
Isn't this sort of like saying "Why would I bother to learn how to swim when people drown in water?"? https://t.co/Oisv0yzu1d
— Nahal Toosi (@nahaltoosi) January 31, 2020
It's disheartening to hear "LOL Nothing Matters" from anyone these days, but especially from a US senator whose decisions clearly could matter if she only tried. https://t.co/2GFSJNAiqg
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) January 31, 2020
“Just because actions meet a standard of impeachment does not mean it is in the best interest of the country to remove a President from office." OMG you’re such a coward.
— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) January 31, 2020
The GOP has abandoned the entire history of the party to keep this momentary hold on power. There is no “back to normal” after this. You have chosen Trump as the hill that you want the words Republican & GOP will die on. The Trump Party is what you are now. Shameful.
— HoweverKT is PettyAF (@HoweverKT) January 31, 2020
If it were the House, I'd impeach him on Monday for bribery.
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) January 31, 2020
When the Senate kicked that, I'd impeach him the next day for treason.
When the Senate kicked that, I'd impeach him the next day for emoluments.
Impeachment now, impeachment tomorrow, impeachment forever.
