That seems to be the crux of the Senate Republican attitude toward the impeachment issue as a party line vote dismissed a bid to call witnesses and see documents that would support -- or defend against -- the allegations against the president. The vote was 51-49.
"This is the greatest coverup since Watergate," said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), calling the episode "a sham." Moreover, when there are no witnesses and no documents, that means there is no trial, he added.
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), an impeachment manager, said, "A trial without witnesses is no trial at all."
The opposite view was summarized by Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn), who said the Senate should acquit the president of the charges against him and leave the decision to voters.
"The question then is not whether the president did it, but whether the United States Senate or the American people should decide what to do about what he did," Alexander said in a written statement. "Let the people decide," he added.
So the next critical vote is likely to be next Wednesday, when the Senate will consider whether to dismiss the charges and acquit the president. Coincidentally, that day happens to be the same day he is scheduled to deliver the State of the Union message.
One can only guess whether that will actually happen, and if it does, whether he will claim absolute and total vindication during the speech.
But the evidence remains, and continues to pile up. Eventually, the whole truth will come out.
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