Watch impeachment trial live: Senate defeats motion to call witnesses

(Bloomberg) - President Donald Trump's impeachment trial reached a critical day as the Senate rejected the idea of witnesses late Friday, all but ensuring his eventual acquittal. But senators considered pushing off final voting on his fate to next week.

The vote on allowing new witnesses was defeated 51-49 on a near party-line vote.

Here are the latest developments:

<h3 class="breakHead">No Agreement on Vote Timing, Schumer Says </h3>

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said there's no agreement with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on when a final vote on the impeachment articles may be held.

"There is no agreement between leader McConnell and myself," Schumer told reporters. "We do not want this rushed through, we do not want this in the dark of night."

<h3 class="breakHead">Schiff Cites Report on Cipollone in Meeting</h3>

Top House manager Adam Schiff said an argument for witnesses is made by a New York Times article Friday about John Bolton's upcoming book that names Trump's lead lawyer, White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, as having been present during an Oval Office meeting on Ukraine.

"There is a new fact which indicates that Mr. Cipollone was among those who were in the loop, yet another reason why we should hear from witnesses," Schiff said.

The Times said Bolton's book describes an Oval Office meeting in early May in which the president directed Bolton to pave the way for Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani to meet with Ukraine's new president during Giuliani's planned trip to that country to discuss the investigations sought by Trump.

The meeting was attended by Trump, Bolton, Giuliani, acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, and Cipollone, the Times said.

"The facts will come out, they will continue to come out," Schiff said. "And the question before you today is whether they will come out in time for you to make a complete and informed judgment as to the guilt or innocence of the president."

<h3 class="breakHead">Murkowski Will Vote Against Witnesses</h3>

Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said she'll vote against additional witnesses, almost certainly ending House prosecutors' effort to introduce new evidence in Trump's Senate trial and paving the way for an acquittal.

Murkowski was the last Republican considered a potential vote in favor of hearing from witnesses like former National Security Advisor John Bolton. With Murkowski's announcement, the vote is expected to fall short of a majority, even if backed by all 47 Democrats and independents, as well as both Republicans who announced support, Mitt Romney and Susan Collins.

"Given the partisan nature of this impeachment from the very beginning and throughout, I have come to the conclusion that there will be no fair trial in the Senate," Murkowski said. "I don't believe the continuation of this process will change anything. It is sad for me to admit that, as an institution, the Congress has failed."

<h3 class="breakHead">Senate Nears Vote on Calling Witnesses</h3>

The Senate opened Friday's session that will lead to a pivotal vote on whether to call witnesses in Trump's impeachment trial. Two Republicans, Susan Collins and Mitt Romney, say they will join Democrats in backing new witnesses and documents.

<h3 class="breakHead">Top Court Sets Argument on Trump Records</h3>

The U.S. Supreme Court set arguments for March 31 on Trump's bid to keep his financial and tax records secret, a fight that will shape Democrats' power to investigate the president after the impeachment fight ends.

Trump is challenging subpoenas from the House and a New York grand jury to his banks and accounting firms. He is asking the court to sharply limit Congress's powers and give the president immunity from state criminal probes while in office.

The cases are separate from the Senate impeachment trial. The House panels say they are pursuing legislative goals, including updating ethics laws and trying to guard against foreign influence in the 2020 election.

A ruling is likely to come in late June, in the heat of the presidential campaign.

<h3 class="breakHead">White House Says Trial Could Go to Next Week</h3>

The Senate trial could stretch past Friday's session and into next week because of Senate rules on debate, according to two senior White House officials.

Democrats have said they will push for senators to explain their votes in public, which could take hours. That process would be determined by a majority vote in the Senate.

Next week's calendar is complicated because of Monday's Iowa caucuses and Tuesday's State of the Union address. Senate Republicans have been pushing to end the trial Friday, although it could extend into a Saturday session.

Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican from South Dakota, said he would gladly state the reasoning for his vote in public, and he would be okay with the trial continuing to next week, though he would rather it end today.

Senator Kevin Cramer, a Republican from North Dakota, said he doesn't see the trial going into next week since the Democratic senators seeking their party's 2020 nomination want to get to Iowa.

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, said it wouldn't be in Democrats' interest to let the trial's conclusion slip to next week.

"I think it's a mistake and it will blow up in their face," Graham said. "There's no reason for it."

<h3 class="breakHead">Democrats Push to Open Final Deliberations</h3>

Senator Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, said Friday he plans to file a motion to make deliberations public after closing arguments, rather than held in a closed session. Brown declined to discuss the specifics of the measure, but it could amend Senate impeachment rules that allow senators to deliberate behind closed doors.Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also said he wants each senator to be able to explain their final vote in public. Schumer said he would discuss with Democratic lawmakers at lunch about what other types of motions they would like to file."I believe the American people should hear what every senator thinks and why they're voting the way they're voting," he said.

Any change to Senate rules would require at least 51 votes, meaning that four Republicans would have to join all Democrats and independents in voting for such a motion. Giving each senator time to discuss their vote in public could extend the trial, possibly into next week.

<h3 class="breakHead">Democrat Resigned to Acquittal, No Witnesses</h3>

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, a member of Democratic leadership, said his party is "resigned" to the Republican-led Senate acquitting Trump without calling any additional witnesses, a vote expected to happen on Friday.

"We are resigned to this happening," Durbin said. "It's clear after all the days we spent on this: Republicans are afraid of a trial and afraid of the truth."

Durbin said he doesn't think Chief Justice John Roberts would weigh in to break a tie on the vote to call witnesses.

If only three Republicans join all 47 Democrats and independents to call witnesses, then the vote would be 50-50 and fail to reach the simple majority needed to accept the motion.

Utah Republican Mitt Romney will vote in favor of seeking new evidence, according to a GOP aide. Maine Senator Susan Collins said Thursday she will vote for witnesses, but Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander said he will oppose the motion. The effort to call new witnesses could reach 50 votes if Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski supports it, but that would not be enough for the measure to pass -- unless Roberts steps in.