After reports to the contrary on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., might now have the votes – not only to block witnesses, but to potentially end the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump by Friday, The Hill reported.
"We're going to get it done by Friday, hopefully," Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., told The Hill, after a GOP lunch that followed a Wednesday morning meeting between McConnell and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.
"There was no discussion about that today," Rounds said when asked if the lunch included a discussion on motions of subpoenas for more evidence or witnesses, insisting instead they are talking about how "we're moving forward."
Murkowski is one of the moderate Republicans targeted by House Democrats to lure them to vote to call for witnesses in the Senate trial, including Sens. Mitt Romney, R-Utah and Susan Collins, R-Maine. That trio combined to ask the first question during Wednesday next phase of the trial.
Democrats require turning four Republicans to call for more witnesses, and if that vote cannot pass, it might lead to an up or down vote on the two articles of impeachment, abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, as soon as Friday, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told Fox News' "Bill Hemmer Reports" on Wednesday afternoon.
"I think I can say the mood is good," Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., told The Hill after the lunch.
"If I had to guess, no witnesses," he added. "We'll be in a place where I think everyone is going to have their mind made up, and I believe that we'll be able to move to a verdict, and the witness question will be clear at that point."
Murkowski did not attend the lunch and Romney declined to comment as he was leaving, according to The Hill.