But for that to occur, some Republican senators will have to strike profiles in courage and demand that witnesses be called as part of the trial. Only four Republican senators need to join the Senate’s Democrats to make that happen without a tie-breaking vote by the chief justice. But that ignores the fact that the White House ordered potential witnesses not to cooperate with House investigators and withheld documents. AdvertisementThe conventional wisdom is that the Senate won’t conduct a serious trial, because even Republican senators who are appalled by Trump’s conduct are terrified of alienating the president’s excitable supporters. A few Republican senators can upend that depressing expectation by being true to their oath to do “impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws: So help me God.”

Source: Los Angeles Times January 16, 2020 10:52 UTC