News & Observer: Sens. Burr and Tillis vote against calling witnesses at Trump impeachment trial
North Carolina’s U.S. Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis chose party over country on Friday evening, voting with their Republican colleagues to block the Senate from calling witnesses in the impeachment trial. The final vote of 51-49 with Republicans Susan Collins of Maine and Mitt Romney of Utah joining 47 Democrats and independents, cleared way for a final vote acquittal.
When asked Friday if he agreed with Alexander’s comments on Trump’s actions being inappropriate but not impeachable, Burr said: “I’ve said that before.”
Tillis said he would not characterize Trump’s conversations.
“We’re all arriving at the same place from different perspectives,” Tillis said Friday about Alexander. “I keep on going back to, I don’t characterize the President’s conversations any more than I do any other member of the Senate.”
Tillis, too, will be on the ballot this year. He has a primary on March 3.
“If Senator Tillis actually cared about fairness or his sworn constitutional duty, he would have voted to permit witnesses today — instead he denied North Carolinians valuable information, not only to aid Mitch McConnell’s cover up of President Trump, but to maintain his good graces with the White House as he seeks reelection,” Cunningham, a lawyer and former Army prosecutor, said in a statement.
This does not come as a surprise as Burr announced his own verdict before the trial even ended during an interview last week on former Gov. Pat McCrory’s radio show. Meanwhile, Tillis has repeatedly shown support for Trump and stated that John Bolton’s revelations would not change his decision — stating that he would “oppose calling witnesses”.
Less than two weeks ago, Burr and Tillis voted eleven times in lock-step with GOP leaders to deny new witnesses and documents in Trump’s Senate impeachment trial.
Regardless of witnesses confirming there was a quid pro quo, both Senators have decided to support corruption over standing with the truth. Tillis and Burr swore under oath to defend the constitution above their own party, but their actions have solidified that they serve Trump, not the people — and not North Carolinians.
