The Senate on Friday took a major step in the acquittal of President Donald Trump by blocking Democratic motions to subpoena witnesses and testimony from various former and current White House officials.
Following a 51-49 vote to block witnesses, the Senate recessed Friday evening to hammer out next steps in the trial.
When the trial resumed, Republicans agreed to extend the impeachment trial into next week. After prosecutors from the House and Trump's legal teams make their closing arguments on Monday, senators will each be afforded the opportunity on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to deliver a statement on the trial.
The trial will then come back to order Wednesday afternoon for one final vote, which will likely result in the acquittal of Trump.
After Majority Leader Mitch McConnell put a resolution spelling out how the trial would proceed, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made one last attempt to add testimony and evidence. Three of the four motions were voted down in a strictly party-line vote. A vote to call upon National Security Adviser John Bolton to testify garnered voters from Republican Sens. Mitt Romney and Susan Collins.
