our impeachment trial coverage continues. let's turn it over for chris cuomo "prime time." >> there has never been any impeachment trial in this country with no witnesses. can't say that anymore. our disgrace is now defining us. the acquittal a foregone conclusion. we knew that. this skipping of process. this perversion of process and it is the first time we have seen a party in power try one of its own. and they have brought every point of cynicism now to bare as truth. question is, where do we go from here? let's get after it.

so the current schedule makes it look this way. next wednesday, we'll probably have the vote and the acquittal of president trump. now, depending on the politics that acquittal on the democratic side has no value. why does the senate minority leader say that? he'll say it wasn't a real trial. this is what republicans are exposing themselves to. we'll talk about the balance. they know it comes at a price. they don't understand how big a price it is. let's talk about what happened today. what it means in terms of process and reality in this country going forward. the big brains. professor, first of all the idea of not the out come, i believe we talked about here often that you can make arguments that the president say what he say he did. it was wrong. the reasons were wrong but not worthy of removal. it can be a good faith argument.

no witnesses. what kind of stain does that put on the senators who vote that way and this period of history? >> blooi believe it will be a b stain. this is the first time in american history a party a party leader, a party coalition put one of their own presidents on trial. they didn't. they played defense the whole time. and looked for a fast way out. again to put it into perspective. we have had a presidential impeachment trial any kind of impeachment trial that didn't result in witnesses. extraordinary. now why is that? the most common answer we're getting as republicans kind of scramble for explanation. is it's the houses fault. keep in mind that blaming the house like senator murkowski did makes no sense. she's blaming the house for not being able to get information the president was refusing to give. at some point historians see

that and the senate bauried it. add it together it's clear republicans are complicit in the cover up. >> the logic problem. the idea the president side saying these people will clear me. they don't let them testify. have you ever had anybody hide an alibi from you? >> no, never. that doesn't happen. trials at least as we experience are a search for the truth. the problem here is it turned it on its head. usually you have prosecutors with all the power. they can subpoena the documents and witnesses and all the information. which means the criminal justice system has strong build in protections for the defendant. you have the defendant holding all of the cards. he wouldn't allow the prosecutors to have any of the evidence. and prosecutors are entitled to a fair trial too. this was not a search for the truth. defendant wornt let anything out. it means it doesn't have credence. that's the problem.

>> people don't like it, first of all, this is -- i don't blame the defense counsel. they did a good job. they put the senators in a place they were willing to do this. i don't blame the president this much. i liken him to frankensteins monster. this is a monster of their own making. they did this to themselves. because they want to capitulate power. what stops the president from saying here's what i'll do. you're in my party, i'll crush you if you don't do what i say and do whatever i want. it sound like a mobster threat. that is what works. >> this is why process is so important. our system is process. not results. when i tried a case early on in the new york you go i lost. it was it was dispinting.

the judge says it's not the out come it's a process. you can live with it and move on. we can't say that. it sends a terrible message to the united states. the senate itself bears responsibility. trump is a party to this. the lawyers are a party to this. they are trying to win. the senate let it get shut down and didn't want to. >> except they want cocover themselves out of fear. mike isikoff is weighing in on this. this idea of we're going to deny this process. i argue we have seen nothing like it throughout the rest of the journey that we have been on. what does it mean to you? >> well, i thought the really remarkable thing about alexander statement last night the

decisive statement. which signalled there was not going to be witnesses is that he actually accepted the houses case. they had made their case on the facts. and he was rejecting the president's defense. it's going to be really interesting to see how many other republicans senators when they give their closing speeches and justify their vote follow the lead on that. that goes to the core facts at issue. and you put on top of that that we have john bolton's book coming. the possibility certainty he will be promoting his book. going on your show. i'm presuming and many others. he'll be asked all the key questions he would have been asked if this trial allowed witnesses. and the public in the end will be much better educated than the

senators who took this fateful vote tonight. so, we'll see how this plays out politically, what the cost is to the president. but i think that if you take his statement and put it together with likely what is to come, it's pretty ominous at least for the defense. the arguments the president's lawyers were making as it went to the facts. >> i think the thing here -- you won't slip it past people. they're not sophisticated with the law and in the weeds. this is different. in clinton. they acquitted him senators attached to the vote. he's a dog. doint like what he did. this is different. they are full process. of course mike is right. the book comes out in march. we'll see what snakes this is able to chase out. the argument of it's bad.

not worthy of removal. isn't it ruined by the suggestion that i was against the process of showing the proof as well? >> i would think so. the problem is that the senators who were saying that, saying i think he did something bad. but it didn't rise to level of impeachment. were also cutting short the inquiry. asking for their not to be witnesses. no documents. they looked at what the house presented. which was an airtight case and missed the important things. what they didn't do was can't reach the conclusion it's not serious enough to be impeachable offense without talking to the most relevant witness of all. john bolton. who spoke to the president of the united states. and what's the reaction? senators think we don't need to hear that. it's not relevant. it seems relevant. >> what grabbed me about the

statement. something different than mine. the shock effect of you think they proved the case. the rational is this is for the voters to decide. but i won't give you the information to decide it. and comes rubio. who loves to quote from the good book. about something that should instruct humanity. he says this was wrong. but i won't vote to remove it would hurt or division. aren't they the cause of the division? >> they are. of the abuse of power was something different like say the president personally financially profiting off the office or something he's done too. that's what we're talking about here. then it makes sense to say there's an election coming up. if the people don't like it they can remove him. this is about manipulating the election. he's cheating in the election. it misses the point. for them to say there's an

election coming. >> i still take that argument. that jennifer is putting down. if he had witnesses. if you had witnesses i believe -- you wouldn't be able to say i did this unfairly. >> the gold medal for worst excuse is the standard was met. which is a high crime and misdemeanor but would hurt the country. i voted for no witnesses because the process was broken. so i'll break it further? >> for a problem she created. >> they talk next week. why do you believe the republicans have a portion as much time as they have or allocated to the speeches for votes when they want to speed it up? >> that's a good question.

i assume that -- >> we know it's not true. what's the answer. >> i thought senator mcconnell gou would go for a quick motion to dismiss and be done with it. obviously he ran into problems with schumer threatening to have amendments and keep the process going. the only explanation is that if democrats are going to be denouncing the president and laying out the arguments that some of your guests have been making. republicans want to have equal time and give speeches defending the president. or defending their vote. for acquittal. i think at this point, we pretty much heard all the arguments. and i'm not quite sure how much public appetite there will be on either side to keep listening next week. we now know the out come.

can i make one other point? >> please. >> we knew who the out come from the beginning. this was sort of a problem with schiff's argument. his closing argument for why we the house had to impeach the president. because if he doesn't and gets away with it, he's going to do it again. that's what schiff kept hammering as the reason why the president had to be impeached. schiff knew what political make up in the senate was. he knew the high unlikeliness the president would get looremo from office. the argument the need to impeach the president in the first place he was going to be even stronger once he got the inevitable acquittal. it could be argued that the house would have been smarter not to impeach him.

but keep investigating, keep pursuing facts. keep the subpoenas in court. and i think you can make an argument they would have been the country would have been better off. >> it will be written soon. they maybe accused of having over thought it. and under planned it. and when they decided not to hit him with real crime and abuse of power is not communicate that to the american people. it was a mistake. thank you. each and all of you. all right the truth will come out. that's what we no. because the white house leaks like a sieve. they talk about him when he's not around and the book is coming out. the next two guests i have were both jurors. what do they think the path forward is for them and fellow democrats. it's tough to quit smoking cold turkey. so chantix can help you quit slow turkey. along with support, chantix is proven to help you quit.

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despite democratic efforts

republicans repeatedly voted down any idea of new witnesses, documents and amendments. acquittal all but certain. let's get perspective on how this played out and what to expect in the days and weeks ahead. we spoke to two jurors. both democratic senators. first up tammy duck worth. >> senator, thank you so much for joining us. >> good to be on. >> whether it's there in d.c. or back home to illinois, people will say to you, is that it senator? is everything broken? there is no more anything but politics. is that it? the senate has fallen. the house has fallen. we can't trust you anymore. what are you going to tell people? >> there's good people here and working hard the truth will come out. and we still uphold the constitution. i intend on getting up every day and living by the oath i have sworn.

from the time i was in the army to know. to protect and defend the constitution. >> the hard sell is senators are coming out on the republican side now and saying what they would never have said until it was convenient. what he did was wrong, it was probably impeachable. it was impeachable. but probably not removable. this is wrong. but it's too much for removal. that makes it worse. saying you should decide mr. and mrs. america, but all voting after saying it's wrong to not give people access to the witnesses and proof. what's worse than that? >> i think it is a perversion of the processing in the country. imagine if there was a murder trial that was going on and somebody gets up and says i was in the room and i saw who committed the murder. and you vote to not allow the witness to testify in the trial. americans know that's wrong.

i don't think history would judge my colleagues kindly who voted against witnesses. >> the legacy they seem to be concerned most with is the legacy of how the president felt about them. is this just proof positive that trump is the most powerful presence in republicans lives? >> i think so. as far as republicans are concerned. he has some sort of hold over them. and it's unfortunate. they are putting president and party ahead of the people. that's not the oath we took. and also to become impartial jurors in this trial. >> you are not the best person to ask this question because your life is a testament to bravery and not letting people tell you what to be afraid of and back away from. how do you explain how a president who checks almost none of the boxes of what that party is supposed to care about has

this kind of power over them where they won't even vote for what they know 75% of the country wants? >> i can't tell you why the president has the power over colleagues. you'll have to ask them that. >> i do. they're scared to tell me. >> you have to be able to stand up. they must be afraid of they worry about the election year. they need to worry about november. i don't think the people of the country are satisfied with how the representation where their senator is voting to not have a witnesses and evidence. and the truth will come out. i think it will come out over the next week and months as more of boltons book is leaked and more and more evidence comes out from lev parnas and all folks. those who voted against allowing the american people to see the evidence, they will be judged poorly. >> a much more dangerous vote than the acquittal vote i think.

in any estimation. you were afraid of the truth. criticism for the process going forward. why don't the democrats just let it end? that's it. you won't get witnesses. they will acquit. why spend days on this? >> we're not in charge of the process. that's the problem. this is mcconnell's call. he did this. this was an internal fight with the republican party. we have no say in this process whatsoever. as you saw in the four votes tonight it's very partisan and party line. >> it is now 64 troops have been affected by tbi after the shelling at the base in iraq. done by iran. the president said i haed about the headaches. they're not as bad as the other injuries i have seen. what you think of that? >> the president is absolutely wrong. let me say something about it's

the hidden wound of war. 30% of the troops in iraq especially during the battle came home with traumatic brain injury. these are lifelong injuries that will occur and actually impound throughout the people oos lives and our troops need to know they need to get help. this is a real wound. and cannot believe the commander in chief of the military would under mine years of hard work by veterans and medical professionals. and the dod itself and try to make sure they get help for the wound they received in combat. >> until you start balancing that interest against what looks good for him politically. we see again the fighting men and women. they will fall victim to being on the wrong side of the president's interest in this case. senator, thank you so much for doing this interview at such an important time. >> thanks for having me on. >> senator, thank you for

joining us. >> thank you. >> when you go home and people say, why should i vote to put anybody in the senate or in the house or in congress? i see the game you are playing. if you have the power you do whatever you want and the rest of us just watch. this system doesn't work. we're not the problem, you are the problem. >> sadly, that is a terrible message that they are getting from the trial that mcconnell had no intention of making it fair trial. he wanted a fast trial. and that's what they got. and as information comes out about bolton and the information that would corroborate the witnesses said. the republicans don't want to face it. >> i think that it's about how we got here. the president is going to use the power. he's good at that. i liken him to frankenstein. not ugly or scary. he was created. this was created adds an

opportunity for him by a break down in the system. a discount effect on principle and integrity. working together. and increase on party loyalty. you keep in power as long as you can. he's playing the system well. how do you fix it? >> he has been playing the system since he became an adult. we now in an environment where he's in the best place to be. the president of the united states. he can use the full powers of office. and he believes he can do anything he wants under article 2. and he's going to not be convicted by the republicans. it's not the people in the country. it's republican senators who don't want to face facts. he loves it. he'll feel as this is a license to keep doing more.

we should remember, but for the whistleblower, we would never have found out about any of this. this is going to be the president unleashed. and we're on notice. we know this. part particular republicans. they own this guy. he owns them. >> there good faith arguments that people in the party would certainly accept as to why it wasn't worthy of removal. no witnesses? that's shutting down process, smacking people in the face. telling them you don't get the truth. i actually think there will be challenge for democrats and republicans to get the people on your party to believe it's worth the effort. to participate in the system. and put people into a place that they don't have high expectations of. >> if anything people should get it's the republicans who are stone walling this process. and it's the president stone walling requests for documents and make witnesses available.

it's really important for our country to figure out who is screwing them over. it's not democrats. it's the republicans. it's our job at a democrat to put it out there as to what else the president will do next. who else will he go after? >> if you're not on the side of what he wants -- i have to reach across the aisle and get it done. i don't know how you are kidding yourself. you're not getting anything done unless it's what the president wants them to do. if you happen sto like what the president wants on something you'll get it done. you can't expect republicans to go against him. >> the punishment for going against them is fast and fierce. that is why their not able to do what in their heart they know is the right thing to do. what had happen is more information will keep coming out about what he did. not just about ukraine. but you don't know what else he's been up to. and all this information is going to come out and the voters

will get to decide if they want a lying drifter for the president. >> senator, thank you very much. >> you're welcome. >> be well. interesting. even the president's own former chief of staff john kelly. says without a trial, without witnesses, job is only half done. why are he and john bolton choosing to speak out only now? why are these other gop senators speaking out only now? about wrong doing. that's next. ( ♪ ) ♪ the sun is risin' ♪ ♪ as the day begins ♪ time for reflectin' on family and friends ♪ ♪ and hey, we got somethin' ♪ ♪ just for you (sniffing) ♪ it's a cup of your favori-i-i-ite... ♪ (loud splashing) (high-pitched laughter) dang woodchucks! with geico, the savings keep on going.

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as we're processing what this is actually meant, the impeachment trial was never about what the president did. that's been clear. it's about what this senate was willing to do and not do. the irony is they can vote to hide witnesses but the truth will come out. the question will be what is the price for what they chose to do today? not just acquitting and voting not it rooif remove the president. that's not the problem. let's take it to the political minds. scott, you heard what i said. you have heard it before. i don't get the vote to deny witnesses. i don't know they would have been bad for the president. i think it could have been net to neutral. in terms of the perspective of people. given high ground over the house. and allowed you to avoid the stink that will be all over the party now for capitulating to

the power of trump. >> well, i think the alternative view is thatrepublicans inthe senate and obviously republicans in the house and generally republicans over the country just didn't think this matter whether you are not at all concerned or really concerned. they just didn't think that it rose to the lefl of throwing the president out of the office. do we prolong this and we know the out come. or go ahead and let the american people decide in the election. it's a reasonable decision by the senate. to just get this trial behind us. we knew what the result was going to be. on monday and tuesday you'll hear republicans express varying levels of concern about what happened. it fell short of the threshold question. should we throw president out for the first time in american history. the answer was no. >> although what will happen

monday and tuesday will upset what the republicans need people to believe. which is they knew the facts. they didn't. because we have republican after republican saying i only watch fox. now that i'm watching this. there are things i didn't know. john kennedy said that. and i like having the senator on here. it's not about criticizing them as people. they don't have the witnesses. how can they make the case that they knew everything they needed to know? >> they can't. i'm sorry, what scott said we knew we were going to get here because the fix was in from the beginning. we knew and the house mlg managers did a incredible job. we knew the case they were really trying to make was to potentially get at least the right number of senators to agree to let the truth come out. i'll tell you something, thinking of stepping back d this will be like the iraq vote. think about it. the question voters will say is

did you have the wisdom to see through the lies and did you have the strength to stand up for what was right? or did you go with the cover up. i don't think the republicans have a good answer to the constituents. people aren't stupid. they're busy in their lives and can't follow all the names and mas nation. they know what means to block the truth. >> also i want to be clear. i don't blame the president for this. maybe i grew up in politics. somebody wants to give you power you take it. i was talking about it earlier in terms of frankenstein. he played this beautifully. he's the creation of a party that didn't want to stand up for its own values. rubio, it's impeachable but i don't want to remove him because it will add to the terrible division. murkowski, i'm sad.

this congress wouldn't have a fair trial. you voted to not make it fair. rubio you created the division by not having the witnesses. i don't get the wisdom in the move. >> they obviously don't think it's worth throwing the president out. >> i agree. >> however they feel. they made a judgment. and you all sort of i think have the conversations about this as though there was some magic way to spin the cube here where it would come up all the right colors on the all four sides. >> i don't think it would have. >> what about accountability. it we're not saying they could have voted to say -- let's have the witnesses. and might have could have said censure. >> they can do that. >> that's what we'll hear next week. >> you made a powerful argument for what they should have done

in the house. >> you can't blame the house. come on. that's a weak argument. >> the house rushed it. >> the senate should responsibility to do their job. >> the house is open for the business. >> voters will see right through that. >> if they don't want to play by the rules it doesn't matter how often they play the game. until congress figures that out everyone will lose confidence. some of the senate republicans who admit now, now. that what trump did was wrong. still wouldn't vote for a fair trial. you have a right to be mad as hell about that. the argument next. you have power over pain, so the whole world looks different. the unbeatable strength of advil. what pain?

and here we have another burst pipe in denmark. if you look close... jamie, are there any interesting photos from your trip? ouch, okay. huh, boring, boring, you don't need to see that. oh, here we go. can you believe my client steig had never heard of a home and auto bundle or that renters could bundle? wait, you're a lawyer? only licensed in stockholm. what is happening? jamie: anyway, game show, kumite, cinderella story. you know karate? no, alan, i practice muay thai, completely different skillset.

you should be mad as hell. and you need sthoe these people you will not take it anymore. republicans are voting as expected. a likely acquittal of the president. a vote i can see on the merit. not a great argument by plausible. what is without any basis except in bald face coward. the vote to hold the first trial in history where youlyfully avoid the people who know the truth of the president's words and deeds. that takes us to the worst part of all. i argue. now that it's safe, here come

the republicans admitting the truth. first came tennessee senator. i think it was inappropriate and wrong for the president to do what he did. and i think it was proven. the question is whether you apply capitol punishment to every offense. in this case the answer is no. it's not the question. the question is how can he think you should decide what the consequence is and in good conscious vote to deny you the information to make the decision. and that job of spin there is from a guy who is retiring. it gets worse. florida senator rubio. just because actions meet a standard of impeachment. doesn't mean it's in the best interest of the country to remove a president from office. i will not vote to remove the president because doing so would inflict extraordinary and potentially irreparable damage to the already divided nation.

now you want to say it's impeachable. you talk about inflicting damage, you keep your mouth shut and your head down. now you say he was rightly impeached. you didn't people access to the proof of the same and complain about division? you are creating the division. you called trump a con artist who should be selling fake watches. who is selling junk now? this isn't politics. this is poison. here's another dose. a alaska senator murkowski supposed to be open to both sides. it is sad for me to admit as an institution congress failed. we're at a low point of division in this country. murkowski is sad. if you're sad, don't be the problem that you are sad about. you vote not have witnesses? that you have been carping about? we need to know.

don't let them play you. the division is not about us. our society isn't failing. they are the problem. politicians who choose tribe and trump over truth. position and party over a position of principal. i'm looking at you, gop. this is a very first time we have seen a party try one of its own. and sadly confirmed all cynicism about you people not being able to be able about anything bigger than yourselves. you want to play what aboutism? fine. you made putin jealous tonight how you cower before trump. democrats are not the same. democrats under clinton went after their own. over something way less important than this. and these senators know it. then the president went under oath. star got everyone and their aunt. star was allowed to g from a

real estate mess to a blue dress. republicans sided with democrats to acquit. and that president apologized. >> now that the senate has fulfilled constitutional responsibility, bringing this process to a conclusion, i want to say again to the american people how profoundly sorry i am. for what i said and did to trigger these events. and the great burden they have imposed on the congress. and on the american people. >> by the way, he felt he had been done dirty and still said that. he thought leadership demanded na and he was right. a president who openly mocks principle. lies to your face, calls you names and mocks you any time it suits him. he may from grabbed lindsey

graham and shook them upside down as the currency of their credibility fell from their pockets like lunch money. removal was too much. that's what you'll hear. it will fill your screens. they'll try to salvage their souls. force them to show it. censor him. they did it to jackson for assuming power not in the constitution. there was a famous call to out rage guest the politicians and systems. go to your window scream you're mad as hell and not going to take it anymore. i hope your voices echo all over this country. denying you due process was wrong. let them know that you know what they did. and you are mad as hell. that's the argument.

there's another big story going on tonight. the l.a. lakers are playing their first game since the death of kobe bryant. his daughter and of course seven others. the king, lebron james. just offered an emotional tribute. you'll see it. next. when you use location technology, you can see where things happen, before they happen. with esri location technology, you can see what others can't. ♪

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the lakers paying tribute tonight to kobe bryant during their first game since the nba legend and his daughter were killed in that helicopter crash along with seven others. so the treatment blanketed the arena with bryant's jersey numbers. every seat covered. two special seats were adorned with red roses and jersey numbers honoring the father-daughter duo.

and then a tierful tribute from lebron james. >> i got something written down. they asked me to stay on course or whatever the case may be, but laker nation, man, i would be selling y'all short if i read off this shit, so i'm going to go straight from the heart. [ applause ] >> the first thing that comes to mind, man, is all about family. as i look around this arena, we're all grieving. we're all hurt. we're all heart broken. and when we go through things like this, the best thing you can do is lean on the shoulders of your family. from sunday morning all to this point, i heard about laker nation before i got here, about how much of a family it is. [ applause ] >> and that is absolutely what i have seen this whole week, not

only from the players, the coaching staff, the organization, but from everybody. everybody that's here, this is really, truly, truly a family, and i know kobe and gianna and vanessa and everybody thank you from the bottom of their heart as kobe said. now, i know at some point we will have a memorial for kobe. but i look at this -- i look at this as a celebration tonight. this is a celebration of the 20 years of the blood, the sweat, the tears, the broken down body, the getting up and sitting down, the everything, the countless hours, the determination to be as great as he could be. tonight we celebrate the kid that came here at 18 years of a age, retired at 38 and became

probably the best dad we seen over the last three years, man. tonight is a celebration. before we get to play, love y'all, man. kobe is a brother to me. and from the time i was in high school to watching him afar, to get in this league at 18, watching him up close, all the balts that we had throughout my career, the one thing that we always shared is that determination to just want to win and just want to be great. and the fact that i'm here now means so much to me. i want to continue along with my teammates to continue his legacy

not only for this year, for as long as we can play the game of basketball that we love because that's what kobe bryant would want. [ applause ] >> so in the words of kobe bryant, mamba out. but in the words of us, not forgotten. live on, brother. [ applause ] >> you see that? off the court james revealed his new tattoo honoring his friend. it says mamba for life. please stay with cnn for continuing coverage of what's coming next in the trump impeachment trial. from managing inventory... to detecting and preventing threats...

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so as we have been talking, senate republicans voting tonight to block witnesses, but also to postpone the final vote until wednesday. what i wanted to say to chris there is they're taking a dangerous gamble. so they're waiting until wednesday. you know what's going to come out. just saying watch. what means the president won't get what he wanted, an acquittal before the state of the union. even if the end result is a foregone conclusion, there was an unexpected amount of drama on the senate floor. mitch mcconnell backed into a