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{"source_url": "https://wsvn.com", "url": "https://wsvn.com/news/politics/gop-sen-collins-says-shes-open-to-impeachment-witnesses/", "title": "GOP Sen. Collins says she\u2019s open to impeachment witnesses", "top_image": "https://sunbeamwsvn.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/170925_susan_collins.jpg?quality=60&strip=color&w=640", "meta_img": "https://sunbeamwsvn.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/170925_susan_collins.jpg?quality=60&strip=color&w=640", "images": ["https://pixel.wp.com/b.gif?v=noscript", "https://s2.wp.com/wp-content/themes/vip/sunbeam/assets/images/newsletter-preview-wsvn.jpg", "https://sunbeamwsvn.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/170925_susan_collins.jpg?quality=60&strip=color&w=640"], "movies": [], "text": "WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine says she\u2019s open to calling witnesses as part of the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, but she says it is \u201cpremature\u201d to decide who should be called until senators see the evidence that is presented.\n\nCollins also said it was inappropriate for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, to pledge \u201ctotal coordination\u201d between the White House and the Senate during the impeachment trial.\n\n\u201cIt is inappropriate, in my judgment, for senators on either side of the aisle to prejudge the evidence before they have heard what is presented to us,\u201d Collins told Maine Public Radio in an interview Monday.\n\nSenators take an oath to render impartial justice during impeachment \u2014 an oath lawmakers should take seriously, Collins said.\n\nCollins, who is running for reelection and is considered one of the nation\u2019s most vulnerable GOP senators, also faulted Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts for saying Trump should be found guilty and removed from office.\n\n\u201cThere are senators on both sides of the aisle, who, to me, are not giving the appearance of and the reality of judging that\u2019s in an impartial way,\u201d she said.\n\nCollins is the second Republican senator to criticize McConnell, who recently told Fox News he would be working \u201cin total coordination with the White House counsel\u2019s office and the people who are representing the president\u201d during impeachment.\n\nAlaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said last week that she was \u201cdisturbed\u201d by McConnell\u2019s comments, adding that there should be distance between the White House and the Senate in how the trial is conducted.\n\n\u201cTo me, it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense, and so I heard what Leader McConnell had said, I happened to think that that has further confused the process,\u201d Murkowski said.\n\nThe remarks by the GOP senators come as Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer hailed as a \u201cgame changer\u201d a news report detailing the role of White House officials in withholding aid to Ukraine, a key element of the impeachment effort.\n\nThe New York Times reported new details about efforts by acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and other officials to cut off the aid to Ukraine. Senate Democrats are seeking to call Mulvaney and three other White House officials as witnesses in the impeachment trial.\n\n\u201cSimply put: In our fight to have key documents and witnesses in a Senate impeachment trial, these new revelations are a game changer,\u201d Schumer said. \u201dWill the Senate hold a fair trial, or will it enable a cover-up?\u201d\n\nMcConnell said last week that he is not ruling out calling witnesses in Trump\u2019s impeachment trial, but he indicated he was in no hurry to seek new testimony.\n\nCopyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.", "keywords": [], "meta_keywords": [""], "tags": ["Trending", "More Trending Stories"], "authors": ["Associated Press"], "publish_date": null, "summary": "", "article_html": "", "meta_description": "", "meta_lang": "en", "meta_favicon": "https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/b9bd125821b3cdb36095b8f1d81d9b7e?s=32", "meta_data": {"viewport": "width=device-width, initial-scale=1", "generator": "WordPress.com", "fb": {"app_id": 133219314904, "pages": 29790827612}, "og": {"url": "https://wsvn.com/news/politics/gop-sen-collins-says-shes-open-to-impeachment-witnesses/", "type": "article", "title": "GOP Sen. Collins says she\u2019s open to impeachment witnesses", "description": "WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine says she\u2019s open to calling witnesses as part of the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald...", "image": "https://sunbeamwsvn.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/170925_susan_collins.jpg?quality=60&strip=color&w=640"}, "twitter": {"card": "summary_large_image", "site": "@wsvn", "title": "GOP Sen. Collins says she\u2019s open to impeachment witnesses", "description": "WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 Republican Sen. 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