President Trump's impeachment trial is set to wrap up without new witnesses being called.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) announced Friday she will vote against calling new witnesses, in a statement saying she "carefully considered the need for additional witnesses and documents" but ultimately decided against it.
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Murkowski, who criticized the House of Representatives' "rushed and flawed" articles of impeachment charging Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, also appeared to criticize Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), writing that "some of my colleagues intend to further politicize this process, and drag the Supreme Court into the fray, while attacking the chief justice." Warren asked a question Thursday suggesting there had been a "loss of legitimacy of the chief justice."
As The Hill points out, Murkowski gives Republicans their 51st vote against calling new witnesses. Had Murkowski been a yes, this would have created a 50-50 tie, which NBC News writes "would have at least opened the door to the unlikely possibility that Chief Justice John Roberts could cast a tie-breaking vote." Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) previously announced they would vote in favor of new witnesses, but no other Republicans have, with Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) on Thursday saying he'll vote no.
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