Behind-the-scenes details here about talks:

-- It was truly a last-minute decision to call witnesses after House Dems debated until 3am whether to call witnesses
- It was ultimately a huge risk, they concluded. A deal to submit statement was safer route https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/13/politics/senate-impeachment-trial-day-5-vote/index.html

Democrats believed that pushing forward with Herrera Beutler testimony would add little beyond her statement and could potentially cost them GOP support, while dragging out the proceedings further.

Democrats were uncertain how Herrera Beutler's testimony would come across after she was subject to cross examination, with some concerns that she could potentially undercut their case if there were holes in her account, sources said

Moreover, if they called other witnesses, it could also backfire. For instance, McCarthy could provide testimony that defended Trump, undermining what they believe is a rock-solid case that Trump incited the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, the sources said.

Plus witnesses would not ultimately change GOP senators' minds, they concluded, while hearing from witnesses could bog down the Senate for weeks and imperil Biden's agenda.

Manchin and Angus King said that there needed to be an equal number of witnesses on both sides, that meant that the trial could be delayed for an indefinite period, perhaps weeks. Plus Trump team could bring witnesses not helpful to their case

With a weeks-long delay, it could threaten Democrats' ability to advance Biden's agenda since they need consent from Republicans to schedule votes on nominees and other matters. Also Democrats are pushing to get covid-19 relief package done within weeks.

Ultimately, the team decided that if they went forward with witnesses, it could potentially alienate Senate Republicans, causing them to shed some support, rather than gain any more supporters for conviction.

“After the vote, it was clear the managers had no plan,” one Democrat. “Senate Democrats gave them the votes, but the managers didn’t know what their next step was.”

Safest move was to get her comments into record, they believe.

Senate Dems were in the dark about their plans.

Schumer's team told House Dems last night and this morning that the caucus would support whatever decision they made

But during 9am Senate Dem call, was still unclear