Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota on Friday said there are some Republicans who would vote to have witnesses in President Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate.
“Yes — they have said it publicly,” Ms. Klobuchar, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, said when asked if there are Republicans who will vote for witnesses.
“Sen. [Mitt] Romney made it very clear that he would like to hear from John Bolton, one of the primary witnesses because he was [the] gatekeeper for the president’s national security information,” Ms. Klobuchar said, referring to President Trump’s former national security adviser.
“Every trial we’ve had in history has had witnesses,” she said on “CBS This Morning.” “You cannot have a trial without witnesses, and right now we’re just asking for four witnesses who have unique information about the president holding back aid to a foreign country.”
In addition to Mr. Bolton, Democrats have called for testimony from acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, Robert Blair, a top adviser to Mr. Mulvaney, and White House budget office official Michael Duffey.
Sen. Susan Collins, Maine Republican, on Thursday said she would likely support a motion to call witnesses after the first phase of the trial, in line with what she supported for the 1999 impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton.
GOP senators such as Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky have warned that if Democrats push to call witnesses like Mr. Bolton, Republicans could counter by demanding to hear from people such as Hunter Biden.
Hunter Biden, the son of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden, held a lucrative seat on the board of Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian energy company, while his father was vice president.
Democrats are accusing Mr. Trump of trying to withhold military assistance to Ukraine in exchange for a public announcement of investigations, including into the Bidens and Hunter’s business dealings in the country. The president has denied any wrongdoing.
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