“One of the problems when you become successful is that jealousy and envy inevitably follow. There are people—I categorize them as life’s losers—who get their sense of accomplishment and achievement from trying to stop others. As far as I’m concerned, if they had any real ability they wouldn’t be fighting me, they’d be doing something constructive themselves.” – Donald J. Trump, “The Art of the Deal”

FoxNews.com reports that

Republicans in the Senate secured enough votes Friday evening to reject Democratic efforts to extend the impeachment trial of President Trump and call new witnesses, paving the way for his widely expected acquittal next week on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over his dealings with Ukraine.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said late Friday he expects to “conclude the trial in the coming days” as the Senate approved the framework to continue the trial on Monday, with a final up-or-down vote on Wednesday.

After hours of debate during the day on Friday, the Senate voted 51-49 to block a Democratic motion to call new witnesses. The vote came after vehement demands from Democrats to call former national security adviser John Bolton to testify about the Trump-Ukraine saga. Two Republicans — Utah Sen. Mitt Romney and Maine Sen. Susan Collins — voted with Democrats.

“A majority of the U.S. Senate has determined that the numerous witnesses and 28,000-plus pages of documents already in evidence are sufficient to judge the House Managers’ accusations and end this impeachment trial,” McConnell said after the vote.

Democrats decried the failure of the motion.

“America will remember this day, unfortunately, where the Senate did not live up to its responsibilities, where the Senate turned away from truth and went along with a sham trial,” said Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

Later on Friday evening, Senate Republicans voted down four amendments offered by Democrats to call Bolton and White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, among others. Chief Justice Roberts told Schumer before that vote series that he would not break ties in the Senate, after Democrats in recent days raised the possibility Roberts could possibly tip the scales for them during votes on amendments.

“I think it would be inappropriate for me, an unelected official from a different branch of government, to assert the power to change that result so that the motion would succeed,” Roberts told Schumer.

The vote on witnesses came as Trump was flying to Florida. A senior administration official aboard Air Force One said that the reaction to the Senate vote was “calm, but pleased.”

“Nothing like applause or cheering, but just a recognition that things are clearly going in the right direction,” the official said.

There will be no trial action over the weekend. The trial will resume Monday with closing arguments by the impeachment managers and defense counsel. Senators will have the opportunity to make speeches on Monday and Tuesday.

The final vote will come the same week as Iowa’s caucuses on Monday and the State of the Union address on Tuesday. A senior congressional source told Fox News that there has been no discussion about postponing the speech, as advance teams have been crawling all over the Capitol in preparation for Tuesday’s address.

Earlier Friday, it became apparent that Republicans had the votes to shut down any new witnesses from testifying in the trial, with Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, announcing they wouldn’t defect.

After the vote on witnesses, Trump drew attention to the number of witnesses during the House’s impeachment proceedings: “Democrats = 17 Witnesses. Republicans = 0 Witnesses.”

It came out late on Friday night that Senate Leader Mitch McConnell had talked to President Trump, who had given his okay to the timing of the final vote.

And, I can understand why he did: it’s perfect.

During the Closing Arguments on Monday, I have no doubt that Jay Sekulow and the Trump Defense Team will perform as flawlessly as they already have.

They have embarrassed the House Managers time and time again, making them look like a bunch of political hacks obsessed with removing a duly-elected President from office.

Which, of course, is exactly what they are.

After that drubbing on Monday, President Trump will address a Joint Session of Congress and deliver what promises to be a barnburner of a State of the Union Address.

One of my fellow writers at SpartaReport.com suggested that advertisers forget about the Super Bowl and buy time in the State of the Union instead.

It is going to be that good.

Who, in their right mind, can seriously argue against the accomplishments of President Donald J. Trump?

As one of his Presidential Reelection Campaign slogans says,

Promises Made. Promises Kept.

And, within that resides the very reason for the ongoing coup attempt by the Democrats to remove him from office.

Whoever they choose as their Presidential Candidate does not stand a chance of defeating President Trump this November…and they know it.

But, I digress…

After what is going to be the most matched State of the Union Address in history, the Impeachment Vote will happen at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon.

And, President Donald J. Trump will be acquitted.

In fact, I would not be surprised at all if some of the Democrats cross over to vote for his acquittal.

Especially, if they live in a Red State and they want to be reelected to the Senate.

Until He Comes,

KJ