Sinema, McSally stick with parties as impeachment witness motion fails

Arizona’s U.S. senators stayed on their sides of the aisle Friday afternoon in the highly anticipated vote on whether to call witnesses at President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.

Democrat Kyrsten Sinema voted in favor of the motion to subpoena witnesses, and Republican Martha McSally voted against it.

There had been some speculation that Sinema wasn’t a solid yes because she’d refused to comment publicly. But that speculation proved to be unfounded.

The motion failed by a 51-49 margin, all but ensuring Trump’s quick acquittal in the nation’s third impeachment trial.

Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Mitt Romney of Utah voted along with the Democrats for witnesses, but that was not enough overcome the GOP’s 53-seat majority.

The suspense about whether witnesses, notably John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser, would be called ended earlier the day when two wavering Republicans indicated they’d vote against the motion.

Trump was impeached by the House last month on charges the he abused power and obstructed Congress for trying to pressure Ukraine to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden, and then blocking the congressional probe of his actions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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