Yet another example of Senator Collins asking McConnell for political cover when her vote won’t change the outcome
After voting ten times against including witnesses, Senator Collins was given a “hall pass” by Mitch McConnell last night to announce that she will cast a meaningless vote for witness testimony. Her announcement was made minutes before Senator Alexander’s announcement, and after Senator Alexander told Mitch McConnell he would vote no on including witnesses.
Geoff Bennett, NBC News White House Correspondent: “You’re right Brian, it’s almost as if this whole thing was choreographed…”
Let’s be clear: Senator Collins has had the opportunity to vote for witnesses ten times prior to today’s anticipated vote. This is a pattern with Senator Collins – Mitch McConnell gives her a hall pass to vote against the party to give herself political cover when he knows he has the votes to get the outcome he wants.
Sen. Whitehouse: “Well, one of the things that Mitch McConnell has to do to manage his caucus and give them the best chance for re-election is to give them what we refer to as a ‘hall pass,’ which is permission to vote against the leadership, never in numbers sufficient enough to affect the outcome. And the people who are in the greatest harm or most urgently need the hall pass are the ones who get it – that is I think what you see when you look at this performance.”
Jonathan Lemire, Associated Press: “Susan Collins was allowed to vote this way because she needed the cover for her election, because Mitch McConnell wants to keep his majority.”
The more important vote to watch – regardless of the inclusion of witnesses or not – will be Senator Collins’ final vote on the articles of impeachment. If she claims it is “important” that the Senate “explore with [John] Bolton the allegations that he’s making,” then she cannot vote to acquit the president without the inclusion of his testimony.
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