Susan Collins Weighs In: Reports on Bolton ‘Strengthen the Case For Witnesses’

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Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine announced that the reporting on John Bolton’s upcoming book adds weight to the argument for calling witnesses in the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.

Collins’ decision on whether there should be witnesses has been a source of intrigue for weeks — she is among the most likely Republicans to cross party lines and side with Democrats on the matter.

In her new statement, she said she has always been “likely” to vote to call witnesses, but that she wants the process to play out after House managers and Trump lawyers deliver their cases.

Now that Bolton’s upcoming book will reportedly claim that Trump tied Ukrainian aid to their government helping with the investigations he wanted, Collins announced in a statement that the developments “strengthen the case for witnesses.”

“I’ve always said that I was likely to vote to call witnesses, just as I did in the 1999 Clinton trial,” Collins said. “The reports about John Bolton’s book strengthen the case for witnesses and have prompted a number of conversations among my colleagues.”

My statement on Bolton developments. pic.twitter.com/3M59J7suts

— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) January 27, 2020

Earlier Monday, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) said it’s “increasingly likely” Senate Republicans will call witnesses.