Trump’s impeachment trial draws to close as final arguments begin

Closing arguments at former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial were expected to get underway Saturday morning — but Day 5 started instead with House impeachment manager Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) asking to subpoena records and call a witness sparking fierce debate with Trump defense lawyer Michael van der Venn.

House impeachment managers now want to call Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler as a witness.

The Senate voted unexpectedly on Saturday to permit the lawyers in Donald Trump’s impeachment trial to call witnesses, following a surprise request by the Democrats prosecuting the case to seek the testimony of a key House Republican who has publicly described evidence that the former president refused to pull back the violent mob on Jan. 6.

The 55-45 vote came after the House prosecutors said they would seek the testimony of Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) about her knowledge of a call between the former president and House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy as violence escalated at the Capitol. Herrera Beutler, who voted to impeach Trump in the House, has indicated that McCarthy related to her the details of the phone call in which Trump denied McCarthy’s pleas to forcefully call off the rioters.

Source: Trump’s impeachment trial draws to close as final arguments begin

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