McConnell says he is ready to proceed with Trump impeachment trial with no agreement on witnesses

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36. Akerman should've taken a moment to refresh his memory of the Senate rules.

Roberts has no authority to issue a "bench warrant" -- that concept doesn't exist in the Senate rules governing impeachment. More importantly, he only has the power to do that which is authorized by the Senate or the Senate's rules. The rules also expressly state that the "Senate" not the Presiding Officer, shall have power to compel the attendance of witnesses:

The Presiding Officer shall have power to make and issue, by himself or by the Secretary of the Senate, all orders, mandates, writs, and precepts authorized by these rules or by the Senate, and to make and enforce such other regulations and orders in the premises as the Senate may authorize or provide.

The Senate shall have power to compel the attendance of witnesses, to enforce obedience to its orders, man- dates, writs, precepts, and judgments, to preserve order, and to punish in a summary way contempts of, and disobedience to, its authority, orders, mandates, writs, precepts, or judgments, and to make all lawful orders, rules, and regulations which it may deem essential or conducive to the ends of justice.

Finally, the rules state that any ruling made by the Presiding Officer can be challenged by a single Senator, and subjected to being overruled by majority vote. And the Senate, as it has in the past, will adopt a resolution that will govern the order in which the trial is held, including whether and if so when witnesses can be called.

So Akerman's suggestion is pure fantasy.