https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/470301-gop-senator-republicans-dont-have-votes-to-dismiss-impeachment-articles

BY ALEXANDER BOLTON - 11/13/19 01:53 PM EST

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), an adviser to Senate Republican leadership, says there are not enough votes in the Senate to immediately dismiss any articles of impeachment passed by the House against President Trump.

Republicans have discussed the possibility of quickly dismissing charges against Trump, which would just require 51 votes. But Cornyn said that would be a difficult hurdle for the GOP, which holds 53 seats in the Senate.

“There’s some people talking about trying to stop the bill, dismiss charges basically as soon as they get over here. I think that’s not going to happen. That would require 51 votes,” Cornyn told reporters Wednesday.

“I think it would be hard to find 51 votes to cut the case off before the evidence is presented,” he added.

Cornyn also said it would be better to have a trial in the Senate if the House impeaches Trump.

The veteran GOP senator said “the better course would be to let each side have their say and then have the Senate vote and see if they can meet the two-thirds threshold” to convict the president on impeachment articles.

Convicting Trump would require 67 votes in the Senate or a two-thirds majority of those present, something that would require the votes of as many as 20 GOP senators.

Cornyn said it’s very unlikely that enough Republicans will vote to remove Trump from office. But he said GOP colleagues will want the issue vetted on the Senate floor with a trial.

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