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The U.S. Capitol.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate voted largely along party lines Friday evening to block additional witnesses and documents from being introduced in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.

Two Republican senators — Susan Collins of Maine and Mitt Romney of Utah — broke ranks to vote to allow witnesses in the Senate, but the chamber’s remaining GOP members blocked the Democrats’ effort to force new testimony. The resolution to allow witness testimony failed 49-51.

The vote on Friday night signals that the chamber will soon wrap up the Senate impeachment trial, where Trump is all but certain to be acquitted. Still, Democrats are certain to highlight Republicans’ votes against additional witnesses leading up to the 2020 elections.

Iowa Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, both Republicans, voted with their party to block witnesses.

Ahead of Friday’s vote, House Democrats made last-minute pleas to the Senate, even as it became clear that the push for witnesses was likely to fail. They warned Republicans against setting a dangerous precedent in future impeachment trials and allowing inappropriate behavior to go unchecked.

“The evidence confirms that if left in office, President Trump will continue to harm our — America’s — national security,” said Val Demings (D-Fla.), one of the House impeachment managers. “He will continue to seek to corrupt the upcoming election, and he will undermine — he will undermine our democracy, all to further his own personal gain. But this is a fundamental question that must be addressed: is this a fair trial?

“Without the ability to call witnesses and produce documents, the answer is clearly and unequivocally no.”

Trump wrote on Twitter Friday: “The Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats keep chanting ‘fairness’, when they put on the most unfair Witch Hunt in the history of the U.S. Congress. They had 17 Witnesses, we were allowed ZERO, and no lawyers. They didn’t do their job, had no case. The Dems are scamming America!”

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