Collins refuses to commit to hearing from “John Bolton, Mick Mulvaney, and others, who have never been heard from, never told us what they know, and they were in the room”
Senator Susan Collins is backing a sham impeachment trial that includes no guarantee of witnesses or new evidence, but what she won’t tell you is that this represents a significant shift from the process two decades ago, when “every potential witness had already testified at some point or another… [and] they eventually did have three witnesses then, even though they had testified before.”
In 1999, Senator Collins was an outspoken advocate for allowing those witnesses in the trial, but today, Senator Collins has refused to break with Mitch McConnell in his efforts to block the Senate from hearing from a single firsthand witness.
“It’s hard to imagine you go through a trial with witnesses, who have obviously important information to be told and who’ve never been heard, without hearing them. I mean, that’s the difference between this trial and the one 21 years ago”
“…by the time they got to the Senate trial in 1999, every potential witness had already testified at some point or another… so we knew what their evidence was. They eventually did have three witnesses then, even though they had testified before. You’ve got people now like John Bolton, Mick Mulvaney, and others, who have never been heard from, never told us what they know, and they were in the room.” -Peter Baker
As the Senate begins its impeachment trial today, the Maine Democratic Party is renewing its call for Senator Collins to commit to and use her power to secure the following four guarantees:
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GUARANTEE WITNESSES: Maine Democrats call on Senator Collins to demand that Mitch McConnell set up an impeachment process that guarantees the inclusion of witnesses, and commit that she will not support votes to proceed with the rules of impeachment without their inclusion.
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GUARANTEE INCLUSION OF IMPORTANT EVIDENCE: Maine Democrats call on Senator Collins to demand that Mitch McConnell set up an impeachment process that guarantees the inclusion of important evidence, and commit that she will not support votes to proceed with the rules of impeachment without the inclusion of evidence.
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LIFT WHITE HOUSE GAG ORDER: Maine Democrats call on Senator Collins to demand that the White House lift the gag order it has put on key witnesses, to ensure the Senate has access to all important and relevant information.
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NO ACQUITTAL WITHOUT FAIR PROCESS: Maine Democrats call on Senator Collins to commit that she will refuse to acquit the President if a fair process -- including witnesses and evidence -- does not take place.
“Senator Collins claims she wants to be a fair and impartial juror, but her refusal to fight for a commitment to witnesses tells a different story,” said Maine Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Marra. “Now is the time for Senator Collins to use the influence she brags about so often to stand up to Mitch McConnell and lead Republicans in fighting for a fair and transparent process.”
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