Rand Paul: Senators Close to Voting to Dismiss Articles of Impeachment
'There are 45, with about five to eight wanting to hear a little more'
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Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said that Senate Republicans almost have all the votes needed to dismiss Democrats’ partisan articles of impeachment President Donald Trump.
Paul added that they are now just waiting to hear back from a few Senators.
Paul said in reference to Republicans’ 53-47 majority in the Senate:
“There are 45, with about five to eight wanting to hear a little more."
“I still would like to dismiss it, but there aren’t the votes to do it just yet," he added.
Pauls stated that House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff unwittingly unified Republican senators by things he said during the trial.
“I will push it at some point,” Paul said.
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“The more Adam Schiff speaks, the more we become unified.”
Paul also dismissed calls for former National Security Adviser John Bolton to testify, saying, “He’s a disgruntled employee with an ax to grind.”
“Some people who have talked to him think he has an ax to grind, that he’s angry he was publicly fired by the president,” Paul continued.
“But he also has a history of believing in unlimited powers for the president," he added.
"Which is the guiding light for John Bolton at this point? Axe to grind and books to sell?" he continued.
"Or, be a player and say ‘even if I’m gone, he’s doing what I want on Iran and other things?’” Paul asked.
WATCH: Chris Wallace calls out Adam Schiff for “completely misrepresenting” comments in Senate impeachment trial
— Neon Nettle (@NeonNettle) January 23, 2020
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), reportedly left the door open for that to be an option if Schiff turns the trial into a circus.
McConnell is preparing a "kill switch" option that will allow President Donald Trump and his team to shut down the impeachment trial should Democrats attempt to drag out the proceedings.
“I am familiar with the resolution as it stood a day or two ago,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) told Axios.
“My understanding is that the resolution will give the president’s team the option to either move to judgment or to move to dismiss at a meaningful time…”
The news follows Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) comments that the trial could extend "to six to eight weeks or even longer."
Cruz says such a delay would occur if the Senate decided to hear from additional witnesses.
Should the trail drag on for weeks, it could interfere with the next presidential primary contests, as Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) would likely get pulled off the campaign trail.
