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Senate passes McConnell impeachment rules after nearly 13 hours of debate The Senate passed Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's resolution laying out a blueprint for President Donald Trump's impeachment trial along party lines early Wednesday after a daylong back-and-forth between House prosecutors and lawyers for the White House. The Republican majority had earlier voted down several amendments proposed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to subpoena documents and call witnesses. The vote came just before 2 a.m. Wednesday and after Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., suggested senators were voting for a "cover-up," something that drew sharp responses from the president's legal counsel. Share this -







Senators prepare to vote on McConnell plan after last amendment fails The Senate voted 53-47 to table the 11th amendment. Senators will now vote on the final passage of McConnell's organizing resolution. Share this -







OMB releases 192 pages of Ukraine-related documents to watchdog group Just before midnight, the White House Office of Management and Budget released a trove of Ukraine-related documents, "including records that have not been produced to Congress in its impeachment investigation," the watchdog group American Oversight said. American Oversight obtained the records as part of a number of Freedom of Information Act requests. "We have an email from the night before the call with the president of Ukraine saying they were drafting the footnote to put that hold in place," Austin Evers, the group's executive director, told MSNBC's Ali Velshi. "So, again, this is black-and-white evidence of the machinations that the president was putting the entire government through to execute his corrupt scheme." Many of the documents are so redacted as to render them unreadable, according to an initial NBC News review. The pages include emails and letters from several GOP lawmakers and staffers asking for an explanation of the withheld Ukraine aid. In addition, there are emails from OMB's acting director, Russell Vought, and associate director of national security programs, Michael Duffey, on the morning of Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on July 25. Share this -







First GOP defection: Collins breaks with party to vote for a Schumer amendment As expected, Schumer's 10th amendment failed. Unlike with the previous nine amendments, however, the vote did not come down exactly along party lines. Susan Collins of Maine became the first Republican defection of the day, and the amendment was killed, 52-48. The amendment was to allow senators more time to file responses to motions. Collins, a moderate Republican who is up for re-election this year, is considered one of the most likely in her party to vote to call witnesses and hear new evidence. She had also pushed McConnell on Tuesday to soften the rules in his proposed blueprint for the trial. Share this -







We're in the home stretch Schumer's office says there are just two amendments left. After those amendments are finished, the Senate will vote on final passage. Amendment 9 was tabled at about 1:18 a.m. The 10th amendment is to allow adequate time for parties to respond. Share this -







Trump has tweeted or retweeted over 40 times since 6 a.m. Switzerland time DAVOS, Switzerland — It's just after 7 a.m. here in Davos, and Trump appears to be up and tweeting. By an NBC News count, he has tweeted or retweeted more than 40 times since just before 6 a.m. local (midnight ET.) Many are retweets of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, as well as various Republican lawmakers. Wow! https://t.co/drmhQQ6CL3 — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 22, 2020 Share this -







Chief Justice Roberts admonishes both sides, flashes back to 1905 Chief Justice John Roberts, who has presided over hours of proceedings, took a moment to rebuke both sides after things got testy between House impeachment manager Jerry Nadler and Trump attorney Jay Sekulow. Roberts: ‘Those addressing the Senate should remember where they are’ Jan. 22, 2020 00:48 "I think it is appropriate at this point for me to admonish both the House managers and the president's counsel in equal terms to remember that they are addressing the world's greatest deliberative body. One reason it has earned that title is because its members avoid speaking in a manner and using language that is not conducive to civil discourse," Roberts said. "In the 1905 Swayne trial, a senator objected when one of the managers used the word 'pettifogging,'" he added, referring to Charles Swayne, a judge who was impeached in 1904 and acquitted by the Senate in 1905. "And the presiding officer said the word ought not to have been used. I don't think we need to aspire to that high a standard but I do think those addressing the Senate should remember where they are." Share this -







Schumer's 9th amendment would pave way for new witnesses, evidence After the Bolton amendment met its demise, Schumer introduced his ninth amendment. It calls for a Senate vote on any motion to subpoena witnesses and documents. McConnell's rules resolution includes a provision that says there will be a vote only on whether it would be in order for the Senate to vote on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents. To get to actual votes on witnesses and documents, this amendment would have to pass first. Schumer's latest amendment would eliminate that obstacle and provide for a vote on any motion to subpoena witnesses and documents after the question period. Share this -





