The Trump team is reportedly surprised by the turn of events on Saturday as the Senate voted to call witnesses instead of voting on the outcome of the trial.
Some members of his team were reportedly making plans to leave Washington on Monday but now a source said “it will never end.”
“Another source confirmed they’re shocked by this development. While they had floated having a list of witnesses, they hadn’t prepared a real list, the source said. They’re huddling now on the phone with other aides about how to proceed,” CNN reported.
On Saturday the Senate voted to allow for witnesses in a stunning development that could extend the proceeding.
House Democrats called for a single witness to testify: Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.), who has been critical of Trump for his actions after the Capitol attack on Jan. 6.
On Friday, CNN reported on an expletive laced phone call between Trump and McCarthy when the House Minority Leader called him and pleaded with him to rein in his supporters.
Rep. Herrera Beutler was briefed on the call by McCarthy himself and has signalled that she is willing to testify.
“Needless to say, this is an additional, critical piece of corroborating evidence further confirming the charges before you, as well as the president’s willful dereliction of duty,” lead impeachment manager Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said. “For that reason, and because this is the proper time to do so under the [Senate impeachment rules], we would like the opportunity to subpoena congresswoman Herrera [Beutler] regarding her communications with [Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy] and to subpoena her contemporaneous notes.”
The vote to call witnesses was 55 to 45. Five Republicans voted alongside Democrats to pass the motion.
They were Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney Ben Sasse and Sen. Lindsey Graham.