últimas notícias

Republicans are becoming increasingly confident they’ll be able to hand President TrumpDonald John TrumpTrump lashes out at Pelosi on Christmas, decries ‘scam impeachment’ Christmas Day passes in North Korea with no sign of ‘gift’ to US Prosecutors: Avenatti was M in debt during Nike extortion MORE a bipartisan acquittal in his Senate impeachment trial.

With 67 votes needed to convict the president and remove him from office, and the outcome of a Senate trial all but guaranteed, GOP senators are broadening their sights as they plot their strategy.

Senate Republicans think they’ll be able to pick up one or two Democrats on the final votes for each impeachment article. That would let them tout Trump’s acquittal as bipartisan — an angle they’ve already seized on when talking about the two House votes, in which a handful of Democrats crossed the aisle to join Republicans in opposing impeachment.

Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.) declined to say who he thinks will flip, arguing he didn’t want to put pressure on them.

“I think we might have a couple,” Perdue said. “I don’t want to speculate on who — obviously that puts too much pressure on them — but I really think we have people on both sides that are trying to get to a reasonable, nonpartisan answer.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellTrump lashes out at Pelosi on Christmas, decries ‘scam impeachment’ Karl Rove argues Clinton’s impeachment was ‘dignified’ Murkowski ‘disturbed’ by McConnell’s pledge for ‘total coordination’ with White House on impeachment MORE (R-Ky.), during a recent Fox News interview, also predicted that Democrats would break ranks. He doubted any GOP senators would vote to convict Trump.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if we got one or two Democrats. It looks to me over in the House, the Republicans seem to be solid and the Democrats seem to be divided,” McConnell said. 

Sen. John BarrassoJohn Anthony BarrassoGOP leadership: Initial phase of impeachment trial could run two weeks Life after Yucca Mountain: The time has come to reset US nuclear waste policy Trump announces restart to Taliban peace talks in surprise Afghanistan visit MORE (Wyo.), the No. 3 GOP senator, stopped short of predicting that Republicans would pick up any Democratic votes but noted “there are a couple of Democrats who are thinking about that.”

“And you know who they are,” he added.

Sens. Joe ManchinJoseph (Joe) ManchinSusan Collins set to play pivotal role in impeachment drama Lawmakers pile on the spending in .4 trillion deal Before deal was struck, most Americans thought shutdown was likely MORE (W.Va.) and Doug Jones (Ala.) are viewed as the two Democrats most likely to potentially vote for acquitting Trump.

Manchin, who was once considered for a Cabinet position in the Trump administration, comes from a deeply red state where Trump won in 2016 by roughly 42 percentage points. According to polling data website FiveThirtyEight, Manchin votes with Trump 53.1 percent of the time — the most of any Democratic senator currently in office.

He won reelection last year and has had high-profile breaks with his party, including being one of three Democrats to support Supreme Court Justice Neil GorsuchNeil GorsuchFinding an animating issue is Democrats’ biggest 2020 challenge — not Trump Welcome to third-world democracy and impeachment Supreme Court denies Trump request to immediately resume federal executions MORE in 2017 and the only Democrat to support Justice Brett KavanaughBrett Michael KavanaughTrump expresses support for Susan Collins in competitive Senate race Finding an animating issue is Democrats’ biggest 2020 challenge — not Trump Senate Democrat says he’s not worried about losing Alabama seat if he votes against Trump in Senate trial MORE’s successful nomination last year.

Manchin has described himself as “very much torn” on impeachment and stressed he won’t make a decision on whether to vote for conviction until he has “all of the facts.”

Jones, meanwhile, is viewed as the most vulnerable Democrat up for reelection next year as he tries to win a full term in Alabama, where Trump won in 2016 by nearly 28 points. Jones won his Senate seat in a December 2017 special election, where he ran against GOP nominee Roy MooreRoy Stewart MooreSenate Democrat says he’s not worried about losing Alabama seat if he votes against Trump in Senate trial The job no GOP senator wants: ‘I’d rather have a root canal’ Former AG Sessions enters Alabama Senate race MORE, the former Alabama chief justice who faced multiple accusations of sexual misconduct involving teenage girls from when he was in his 30s.

Jones, however, has taken a different tack than Manchin since joining the Senate, opposing Kavanaugh and voting with Trump 34.5 percent of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight. His first Senate speech in 2018 was on the need for tighter gun control — a headline-grabbing move given his state’s deep-red leanings.

Jones has urged his colleagues to be “impartial” and thrown his support behind getting documents and witnesses from those with firsthand knowledge of Trump’s actions toward Ukraine that were at the center of the House impeachment inquiry.

“As a juror sworn to do impartial justice, I believe I should reserve judgment and let the process unfold without political interference — and I strongly encourage my colleagues to do the same,” Jones said after the House passed the two articles of impeachment.

The House voted last week to make Trump only the third president in U.S. history to be impeached, passing two articles against him: one charging him with abuse of power in his dealings with Ukraine and the second with obstructing Congress during its investigation of those dealings.

Two Democrats voted against the first article, while three voted against the second. Rep. Tulsi GabbardTulsi GabbardYang asks ‘Where’s Tulsi?’ after video of Democratic candidates leaves her out Gabbard decries ‘war budget’ in Christmas Eve message Brokaw: Trump impeachment a ‘he said, she said’ game MORE (D-Hawaii) voted “present” for each.

Asked if he thought an acquittal in the Senate would be bipartisan, Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamChristmas Day passes in North Korea with no sign of ‘gift’ to US Murkowski ‘disturbed’ by McConnell’s pledge for ‘total coordination’ with White House on impeachment Trump expresses support for Susan Collins in competitive Senate race MORE (R-S.C.), a close ally of Trump’s, fired back: “Probably.”

“I think he will get every Republican’s vote for acquittal. And I think he will pick up some Democratic votes for acquittal,” he added in a separate Fox News interview. 

In addition to Jones and Manchin, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) is considered another potential Democratic defector. The freshman senator has emerged as a member of the Senate’s dwindling coalition of moderates since joining in January. She has voted with Trump 52.9 percent of the time, second among sitting Democratic senators, according to FiveThirtyEight.

Sinema is known around the Capitol for being tight-lipped and does not do hallway interviews with reporters. But Sinema told KNXV, a TV station in Arizona, that she will go into the trial unbiased.

“As our juror it will be my constitutional duty to approach it with no bias,” she said. “And to listen to the arguments presented by both sides.”

The potential for Democrats to break on the trial votes comes as the caucus has largely been unified so far in the impeachment fight.

All 47 Senate Democrats lined up behind Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerKarl Rove argues Clinton’s impeachment was ‘dignified’ Trump attacks Democrats over impeachment following call with military members Impeached, with a solid base and no apologies — Trump becomes the only issue of 2020 MORE (D-N.Y.) in a letter he sent to McConnell outlining their initial offer on a schedule for the trial, as well as their requests for four witnesses and documents linked to the delay in Ukraine aid.

Schumer wants to keep the caucus united throughout the procedural maneuvering, believing it helps keep the focus on the three or four Republicans needed to win votes they are likely to force on the Senate floor to call former national security adviser John BoltonJohn BoltonSenators seek to weaponize Clinton trial in Trump impeachment Republican group to run ads in target states demanding testimony from White House officials in Trump impeachment trial Schumer demands sensitive documents for impeachment trial MORE and acting White House chief of staff Mick MulvaneyJohn (Mick) Michael MulvaneyTrump attacks Democrats over impeachment following call with military members Senators seek to weaponize Clinton trial in Trump impeachment Republican group to run ads in target states demanding testimony from White House officials in Trump impeachment trial MORE, among others, to testify at the trial.

It’s similar to the play Schumer made during the ObamaCare fight in 2017, when Democrats remained united and were able to stop Republicans from nixing the law. Democrats also stuck together that year when the GOP tax bill passed Congress on party-line votes.

But Sen. Dick DurbinRichard (Dick) Joseph DurbinSenators seek to weaponize Clinton trial in Trump impeachment Republicans attack Pelosi for impeachment stalemate Sunday shows – Impeachment stalemate dominates MORE (Ill.), the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, told The Hill that leadership has not whipped the impeachment vote and would not be pushing senators to vote a certain way when it comes to acquitting or convicting Trump.

“I have not whipped the Democrats, and we’re not going to,” Durbin said when asked about GOP predictions that the votes will be bipartisan.

Pressed if they would whip the caucus closer to the conclusion of the trial, Durbin echoed Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiTrump lashes out at Pelosi on Christmas, decries ‘scam impeachment’ Trump’s tweets became more negative during impeachment, finds USA Today Karl Rove argues Clinton’s impeachment was ‘dignified’ MORE (D-Calif.) by saying: “We don’t do that. It’s a vote of conscience.”