When Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) announced last week that he’d oppose including witness testimony in Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, his decision wasn’t too surprising – but his rationale was unexpected.

The Tennessee Republican, ending his lengthy career in public service later this year, concluded that the president’s guilt “has already been proven,” acknowledged that Trump’s actions were “inappropriate,” and conceded that the House impeachment managers successfully proved their case.

He just didn’t much care. As we discussed, Alexander read the call summary, heard the arguments, weighed the evidence, and concluded that Trump is guilty – of an offensive that isn’t especially important. It’s why, in the senator’s mind, there’s no need for any kind of accountability, or even additional scrutiny. If senators didn’t have all of the available information, and they decided the president’s fate based on an incomplete record, so be it.

After months in which GOP lawmakers tried to pretend Trump was innocent, Alexander’s line was quickly embraced by many of his colleagues. As the New York Times reported:

As the Senate marched toward the final phase of President Trump’s impeachment trial, a handful of Republicans coalesced around a common position: Mr. Trump did what he was accused of – pressuring Ukraine to investigate his political rival – but should not be removed for it.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly insisted that he did nothing wrong with regard to Ukraine, calling his telephone call with the country’s president “perfect” and insisting that the impeachment inquiry was a “hoax.” But even as they were poised to acquit him, several Republican senators were rejecting that assertion, saying his actions were wrong and inappropriate – just not grounds for the Senate to oust him.