Chase had already seized the moment by writing to the Senate, saying that in case of a tie, he wanted to be able to cast a vote. (Since he was not a member of the Senate, technically he should not be allowed to vote.) He wished to rule on the admissibility of evidence—subject to the vote of the Senate—and on the reliability of witnesses. These stipulations afforded him leverage over the Senate, which he then argued should be organized as a court of law during impeachment proceedings.
