When it comes to how she believes the process of the Senate’s impeachment trial should take place, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is expressing that she has been mischaracterized on her stance.
“There has been a lot of mischaracterization and misunderstanding about my position on the process the Senate should follow for the impeachment trial,” Collins wrote in a statement on Thursday.
The Maine Republican then listed out some of her positions for the impeachment trial that will be conducted in the Senate against President Donald Trump.
Among her positions on the impeachment process listed, Collins notes that she believes they should follow the same model used during former President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial.
Additionally, the senator shared that she is “likely” to support calling witnesses in the trial — a point she has previously expressed openness to. She also later notes that she has “not made a decision on any particular witnesses.”
“While I need to hear the case argued and the questions answered, I tend to believe having additional information would be helpful,” she wrote, adding, “It is likely that I would support a motion to call witnesses at that point in the trial just as I did in 1999.”
Read her full statement below:
My full statement on the impeachment trial process: https://t.co/fot897Cxlx pic.twitter.com/BlVwDtMej0
— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) January 16, 2020
The House sent two formal articles of impeachment to the Senate on Wednesday, charging the president with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. There were seven impeachment managers tapped by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to present the case against Trump in the Senate trial.
U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts — who will preside over the Senate trial — was then sworn-in on Thursday, followed by all 100 senators being sworn-in. This officially began the Senate’s trial. The Senate is expected to resume the impeachment trial on Tuesday.
