After voting to block witnesses, the Senate voted Friday to approve a resolution setting the final day of the president’s impeachment trial — and his likely acquittal — for Wednesday, after both the Iowa Caucuses and President Donald Trump's State of the Union address.
Senators debated on how to move forward during a recess after the witness vote’s conclusion. After nearly 90 minutes, it appeared that Senate leaders Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer had reached a deal that would pause the trial until Monday and provide each senator with 10 minutes to explain his or her decision on the president’s conviction or acquittal. The Senate voted on the organizing resolution and Democrats brought four amendments to the floor — all of which were defeated.
Chief Justice John Roberts answered a question from Schumer on whether he would cast a tie-breaking vote. Roberts said it would be “inappropriate for me” to break a 50-50 tie.
One of the amendments brought to the Senate floor tonight on impeachment rules would have required Roberts to rule on motions for evidence.
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) had previously told reporters the expectation moving forward would not include closed deliberations. "I'm opposed to it and I believe we will not have any closed sessions," he said. The plan voted on did not include such a provision.
The new resolution provided a timetable for the end of the third impeachment trial of a sitting U.S. president. The Senate will recess for the weekend until Monday at 11 a.m. Then House Managers and the defense counsel will each have two hours to make closing arguments. Senators will be allowed to give floor speeches for parts of Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The vote would be scheduled for 4 pm Wednesday.
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said, upon leaving the GOP meeting, that "the process is important, so having the Democrats buy into this final arrangement, I think is more important than just shoving it down their throats because sooner or later the shoe will be on this foot."
Senators will vote on two articles of impeachment: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress related to allegations President Trump pressured Ukraine to announce investigations into his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, and his son Hunter by withholding nearly $400 million in security aid.
Democrats had been pushing to hear from new witnesses since the trial began nearly two weeks ago, especially after John Bolton, the former national security advisor, said he would testify and new evidence was reported by the New York Times indicated Bolton's unpublished manuscript contained details in which the president told advisors to withhold aid to Ukraine as early as last spring. Only two Republicans — Senators Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) — voted with the Democrats.
President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a long-awaited executive order on cryptocurrencies, striking a careful balance between highlighting the risks of digital assets and touting their potential benefits.
McDonald’s said Tuesday it is temporarily closing all of its 850 restaurants in Russia in response to the country's invasion of Ukraine. The burger giant said it will continue paying its 62,000 employees in Russia.
The price of nickel, one of the key minerals needed to produce stainless steel and lithium-ion batteries, saw an unprecedented surge Tuesday amid fears that Western sanctions could cut off Russian supplies of the crucial commodity.
As Western companies cut ties with Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, there's a possibility their Chinese rivals could move in and fill the void. Major corporations such as Apple, Samsung, Dell, and more have halted sales in Russia in hopes of encouraging Putin to back down, but now it seems those sanctions could be presenting a unique opportunity for China. Michael Friedson, Co-founder and Executive Editor of The Media Line News Agency, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss how these Western boycotts are reshaping geopolitical alignments, the global economy, and international trade.
Gas prices have reached their highest level since 2008, topping an average of $4 across the country. The surge comes as Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggers supply concerns in what was already an extremely tight oil market. Jay Hatfield, Chief Investment Officer at ICAP, breaks down why costs at the pump are so high right now, and just how high they could go.
President Joe Biden has announced that the U.S. will ban all Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine.
If confirmed, judge Ketanji Brown Jackson could become the first black woman on the bench of the U.S. Supreme Court. Cheddar News speaks with Katie Barlow, Chief Legal Correspondent at Fox 5 to discuss the significance of the nomination.
The European Union is historically divided and slow when it comes to decision-making, but in the recent weeks, the 27 members have agreed upon several sanctions and decisions regarding foreign policy and defense. The EU has cut off Russian banks from the swift payment system, blocked Russian propaganda channels, and closed European skies for air travel to and from Russia. Germany, for example, who has refused to send any deadly weapons to conflict zones, has now agreed to send lethal weapons to Ukraine. Rupert Steiner, London Bureau Chief at Barron's, joins cheddar news to discuss.
Sam Stovall, Chief Investment Strategist at CFRA Research, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell where he dives into the factors contributing to Monday's market plunge and what could be in store when February's CPI data comes out on Tuesday.
Derek Shearer, former U.S. Ambassador to Finland and contributing writer for Washington Monthly, joins Cheddar News to discuss the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
