Collins Confirms She Will Vote to Acquit Trump

Mitt Romney is only remaining GOP question mark
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 5, 2020 3:16 AM CST
Senate Poised to Acquit Trump
Sen. Susan Collins departs as Republican senators leave a closed-door strategy session at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

It is still technically possible for President Trump to be convicted and removed from office Wednesday—but bookies are giving better odds on Elvis Presley being found alive. Acquittal by a vote along party lines is widely expected when the Senate votes at 4pm, though there is still a "small sense of suspense" over whether there will be defections from either party, the Guardian reports. Republican Sen. Susan Collins, seen as one of the few possible GOP swing votes, said Tuesday that she would vote to acquit. The Maine lawmaker said Trump's behavior was "wrong" and she would have considered voting for a resolution to censure Trump if the House had started with one instead of "leaping to impeachment," reports Politico.

GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski also confirmed that she would vote to acquit, despite Trump's "shameful" conduct. She added, however, that the Senate "should be ashamed by the rank partisanship that has been on display here." Republicans hold 53 of the Senate's 100 seats and convicting Trump would require 67 votes. Republican Sen. Mitt Romney is now believed to be the Democrats' only hope of a bipartisan vote in favor of conviction on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. On the Democratic side, Sen. Joe Manchin has suggested censuring Trump instead, which could be a sign he plans to vote to acquit, the AP reports. Sen. Doug Jones, another possible swing vote, says he will announce his vote early Wednesday. (More Trump trial stories.)

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