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In 2016, the first comprehensive restoration of the Capitol Dome in more than half a century was completed. (Photo credit: Architect of the Capitol via Flickr: Creative Commons. www.aoc.gov)

Daily dispatches from the impeachment trial

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 04: House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) rips up pages of the State of the Union speech after U.S. President Donald Trump finishes his State of the Union address in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives on February 04, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump delivers his third State of the Union to the nation the night before the U.S. Senate is set to vote in his impeachment trial. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Littwin: The Trump acquittal (and a few words on the State of the Union)

On the night before the momentous Senate vote on whether to remove Donald Trump from office, Trump smugly — and I think that’s a fair description — delivered his State of the Union speech....
In 2016, the first comprehensive restoration of the Capitol Dome in more than half a century was completed. (Photo credit: Architect of the Capitol. www.aoc.gov)

Littwin: The Trump Senate impeachment trail, Day 11

As Democrats waited in vain Monday night to get results from the Iowa caucuses, the Trump impeachment trial — which is now in its final stages — was, of course, over before the day...

Littwin: The Trump Senate impeachment trial, Day 10

The best argument against removing Donald Trump from office has always been that everyone knew what they were getting when they elected him.  Some of you may be too young to know this, but when...
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 30: Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) is trailed by reporters as she at the U.S. Capitol before the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill on January 30, 2020 in Washington, DC. Collins has stated she wants to hear from witnesses in the trial. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Littwin: The Trump Senate impeachment trial, Day Nine

(Update January 31, 11:20 a.m. Lisa Murkowski announces she will vote against witnesses.) In what may be his last significant vote in a long political career, Lamar Alexander, who is retiring after this term, showed...
WASHINGTON, DC US Capitol on December 18, 2019 in Washington, DC. (By Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Littwin: The Trump Senate impeachment trial, Day Eight

Facing perhaps the most difficult decision of his political life, Cory Gardner did exactly what Mitch McConnell asked/told him to do — reveal how he was going to vote on witnesses in the Trump...
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner celebrates the election of Donald Trump on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 as his wife, Jaime, looks on. (Photo by Evan Semón)

Littwin: The Trump Senate impeachment trial, Day Seven

(Update Jan. 29, 12:40 p.m. Cory Gardner has announced he will vote against further witnesses in Trump impeachment trial, he tells Colorado Politics in a statement. “I do not believe we need to hear...
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 20: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media as National Security Adviser John Bolton listens during a meeting with President of Romania Klaus Iohannis in the Oval Office of the White House August 20, 2019 in Washington, DC. This is Iohannis’ second visit to the Trump White House and the two leaders are expected to discuss bilateral issues during their meeting. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Littwin: The Trump Senate impeachment trial, Day Six

We watched. We waited. We wondered when/if Donald Trump’s defense team would finally mention He Who Must Not Be Named. The Trump defense covered a lot of ground, but it seemed like they’d never try...

Littwin: The Trump Senate impeachment trial, Day Five

Day Five of the Trump impeachment trial began early and lasted only two hours — to the relief of nearly all involved. I’m sure everyone needed either a break or, in the case of...
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 15: Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch returns for additional questioning after a break while testifying before the House Intelligence Committee in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill November 15, 2019 in Washington, DC. In the second impeachment hearing held by the committee, House Democrats continue to build a case against U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to link U.S. military aid for Ukraine to the nation’s investigation of his political rivals. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Littwin: The Trump Senate impeachment trial, Day Four

As I watched Day Four of the Trump impeachment hearings unfurl, I finally understood — it hit me with the force of an Adam Schiff cross-examination — why the Democrats would never find four...

Littwin: The Trump Senate impeachment trial, Day Three

On Day Three of the Trump impeachment trial, the House managers decided to shake things up by introducing two surprise guest stars — Joe Biden and Rudy Giuliani. They may be the oddest of odd...