Inside Democrats' witness fiasco

But after they voted to move forward, House managers had no real plan for what to do next, according to a Democrat familiar with the negotiations: “Senate Democrats gave them the votes, but the managers didn’t know what their next step was.”

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Multiple sources close to the impeachment managers disputed that claim, saying instead it was significant pressure from Senate Democrats that resulted in their decision to change course. The House managers wanted to bring Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) in to testify, only relenting after receiving pushback from multiple Senate Democrats, they said…

During the Senate break after the witness vote Saturday, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) twice came into the managers’ room off the Senate floor, according to multiple Democratic sources. Coons pressed House Democrats to relent, saying their quest for witnesses would cost them Republican votes to convict and maybe even some Democrats.

“The jury is ready to vote,” Coons told the managers, according to a senior House Democratic aide. “People want to get home for Valentine‘s Day.”

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