Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer put forth a number of amendments to rules set forth by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, setting the table for President Donald Trump's removal trial over the next few weeks.
All 11 amendments put forth so far on Tuesday have been tabled -- effectively turning them down -- by a party-line vote in all but one vote. Fifty-three Republicans voted to table the amendments, while 47 Democrats voted against tabling in 10 of the 11 votes. The only exception was on Amendment No. 1293 when Republican Susan Collins voted against tabling the motion.
McConnell said at the onset of Tuesday's session that the GOP would block votes on all amendments to the rules put forth by him.
"If a senator moves to amend the resolution in order to subpoena specific witnesses or documents, I will move to table such motions because the senate will decide those questions later in the trial," McConnell said.
But Schumer continued on with a series of amendments.
"These amendments are not dilatory," Schumer said. "They only seek one thing, the truth. That means relevant documents, relevant witnesses. That's the only way to get a fair trial and everyone in this body knows it. All 15 that were brought to completion feature witnesses, every single one. The witnesses we request are not Democrats. They're the president's own men."
Here is what the Senate has voted on so far today:
- Amendment No. 1284
This amendment would have compelled documents via subpoena from the White House to be used in the Senate trial.
- Amendment No. 1285
This amendment would have compelled documents via subpoena from State Department to be used in the Senate trial.
- Amendment No. 1286
This amendment would have compelled documents via subpoena from the Office of Budget and Management to be used in the Senate trial.
- Amendment No. 1287
This amendment would have issued a subpoena for the testimony for White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney.
- Amendment No. 1288
This amendment would have compelled documents via subpoena from the Department of Defense to be used in the Senate trial.
- Amendment No. 1289
This amendment would have issued a subpoena for the testimony for White House aide Rob Blair and Office of Budget and Management official Michael Duffey
- Amendment No. 1290
This amendment would have prevented the selective admission of evidence and to provide for appropriate handling of classified and confidential materials
- Amendment No. 1291
This amendment would have issued a subpoena for the testimony for former National Security Adviser John Bolton.
- Amendment No. 1292
This amendment would have required motions to subpoena witnesses or documents shall be in order after the question period.
- Amendment No. 1293
This amendment would have given additional time for House managers and Trump's legal team to file their responses to motions.
- Amendment No. 1294
This amendment would have required Chief Justice Roberts to rule on motions to subpoena witnesses and documents.
The documents requested by Democrats would have included emails, text messages, notes and other communications between White House and other government officials.
After nearly 13 hours, the Senate finally voted to approve rules put forth by McConnell to lay out rules and a schedule for the trial.
One point of contention was on the schedule for arguments. Originally, McConnell proposed 48 hours of opening arguments, 24 hours by the two respective legal teams, split over four days. After some criticism from Democrats, McConnell altered his proposal to splitting the arguments over six days, giving each team three days each.
Another was on how evidence would be accepted by the Senate.