Trump’s Impeachment Trial Begins

The U.S. Senate began hearing opening statements for President Trump’s impeachment trial on Wednesday, Jan 22. They began with Democratic House managers making their case that Trump abused his presidential power and should be removed from office. 

The trial is set to proceed on a fast track after late-night deliberations nearly ensured no new witnesses will be heard. Republicans had blocked Democratic efforts to have Trump’s aides testify.

Instead, the rules have dictated that a decision to seek additional testimony will not be made until after the trial. 

The House prosecutors will have 24 hours to present their case, followed by 24 hours for the president’s lawyers. Then the senators will have 16 hours to ask written questions and four hours for deliberations. 

By the end of next week, there is expected to be one last vote on whether to call for more witnesses. Republicans have defended Trump’s actions and painted the impeachment trial as a politically motivated effort to hurt the president during reelection. Democrats are arguing that Trump abused his office by asking Ukraine to investigate political rivals while withholding crucial military aid and obstructed Congress by refusing to turn over documents or allow officials to testify.