Richard Shelby, Doug Jones cast opposing votes in Donald Trump impeachment trial

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Richard Shelby and Doug Jones

The Senate rejected a measure to consider calling new witnesses and allowing additional evidence in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial on Friday evening. Following nearly two weeks of impeachment proceedings in the Senate, the motion to subpoena additional witnesses failed in the Senate largely along party lines by a 51-49 vote.

Alabama Republican, Senator Richard Shelby voted with his party opposed to the additional witnesses, while Democrat Doug Jones followed his party voting in favor of them.

“Throughout the impeachment proceedings in the Senate, I have carefully listened as a juror to arguments from both the House managers and the President’s counsel in an effort to fairly evaluate whether or not the President’s actions meet the Constitution’s high bar for an impeachable offense. It is evident to me that his actions are not worthy of removal from office, and I do not believe additional evidence would prove otherwise,” Republican Richard Shelby said of his vote. “The President’s actions, as presented by the House in the two articles, do not constitute an impeachable offense.

Shelby continued, “The framers of our Constitution were cautious to ensure that the impeachment and conviction of a sitting President would not be of partisan intent. The Senate holds the power to remove a duly elected President from office for actions that rise to the level of being a high crime or misdemeanor, not for conduct that some deem inappropriate.”

Friday night’s vote paves the way for what many politicos believe will be an acquittal next week on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over his dealings with Ukraine. The full Senate will soon vote on the two articles of impeachment – Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress.