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CNN’s Toobin on how history will remember impeachment: ‘Trump won’

by Joe Concha - 02/01/20 7:26 AM ET

CNN chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin concluded that “Trump won” after a motion to allow additional witnesses in the president’s impeachment trial failed in the Senate by a 49-51 vote on Friday evening.

“Trump won,” Toobin, a staunch critic of the president, told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer when asked about the Senate vote on witnesses. “I mean, you know he’s gonna win this trial. He won on the issue of witnesses.”

“He’s going to get acquitted, and that’s how history will remember what went on here,” Toobin continued.

The legal analyst noted that former national security adviser John Bolton has made claims in his forthcoming book related to the central issue in the impeachment proceedings but would not be called to testify after Republicans rejected calls for additional witnesses.

“I think history will also record that there are at last one and perhaps other pivotal pivotal witnesses who were available to the Senate to talk about the precise issue that is the subject of this impeachment trial, and the Senate decided not to hear from them,” Toobin noted.

Senate Republicans passed a resolution late Friday clearing the way for Trump to be acquitted by the middle of next week. Under the deal, the Senate will reconvene Monday, with House managers and Trump’s legal team delivering closing arguments. Senators will then vote on the articles of impeachment on Wednesday afternoon.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on Friday said she would vote against a motion to consider subpoenas of new witnesses and documents, ensuring that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) would have 51 votes to reject Democrats’ demands for additional witnesses.

Two Republicans, Sens. Mitt Romney (Utah) and Susan Collins (Maine), voted to have additional witnesses for the trial.

President Trump called the process “the most unfair witch hunt” in the history of Congress while claiming that Democrats “had no case” in a tweet on Friday.

“The Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats keep chanting ‘fairness,’ when they put on the most unfair Witch Hunt in the history of the U.S. Congress. They had 17 Witnesses, we were allowed ZERO, and no lawyers. They didn’t do their job, had no case. The Dems are scamming America!” he asserted.

Tags Donald Trump John Bolton Lisa Murkowski Mitch McConnell Mitt Romney Susan Collins