Within the hallways of the U.S. Capitol, there is growing confidence by GOP Senators that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can whip his caucus to block a vote on witnesses Friday.
While returning to the chamber after a short break Thursday, Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) told Cheddar he's "feeling good" about tomorrow's expected vote.
Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) told reporters during the break that Republicans have the "momentum" to move to end the trial tomorrow without witnesses. "If we're able to say no [to witnesses] and go right to final judgment, we'd move in that direction and stay here until that work is decided and completed Friday evening. That's where all the momentum is now."
Still up for debate is what, exactly, happens, if the Republicans vote to end the debate on witnesses quickly.
Meanwhile, back in the chamber, lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff said witness depositions could be limited to just one week and said that the trial should not be rushed just because the State of the Union is Tuesday.
After the break, Senators asked two bipartisan questions, both of which were from senators who may still be undecided on the issue of whether to allow witnesses. First, Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) asked the defense team if the president would assure them that private citizens would not be directed to conduct foreign policy unless formally designated by the president and the State Department.
Murkowski and Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) submitted the second bipartisan question, asking if any action a president takes is inherently political and where the line is between permissible political actions and impeachable political actions.
In President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial, there was only one bipartisan question asked, which Sen. Collins had signed onto at the time.
House Democrats handed the president one of his biggest legislative victories, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to replace NAFTA, even as they announce articles of impeachment against him.
Stocks in the U.S. opened higher Tuesday, reversing pre-market losses after a report in the Wall Street Journal signified that American and Chinese negotiators were preparing to delay the next round of tariffs, scheduled to go into effect Sunday. The Journal cited sources close to the matter on both sides of the table.
House Democrats announced two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump Tuesday morning: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
The lawyers for both parties on the Intelligence Committee where the initial public hearings were held last month, had the opportunity to present findings from their respective investigations.
The company confirmed late Friday that it will move 1,500 employees into 350,000 square feet of space in a new building in the Hudson Yards development on the far west side of Manhattan.
These are the headlines you Need 2 Know for Monday, December 9, 2019.
Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell said the House Judiciary Committee could be drafting the articles as early as next week, but while abuse of power is sure to be included, she is unsure if other articles, like obstruction of justice and obstruction of Congress, will be drafted.
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The numbers crushed analyst expectations of 180,000. However, the strong numbers could make it unlikely the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates for a fourth time this year.
