(CNN) Sen. Lamar Alexander, a retiring Tennessee Republican, said in a statement late Thursday night that he would vote against a motion to hear additional witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. There is no need to consider further the frivolous second article of impeachment that would remove the president for asserting his constitutional prerogative to protect confidential conversations with his close advisers. "It was inappropriate for the president to ask a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent and to withhold United States aid to encourage that investigation. When elected officials inappropriately interfere with such investigations, it undermines the principle of equal justice under the law. But the Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year's ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate.

Source: CNN January 31, 2020 03:56 UTC