JUST IN: GOP-led Senate rejects amendments, approves rules of Trump impeachment trial.
The rules were approved by a party-line vote, 53-47, after more than 12 hours of debate that left many Senate members exhausted by the time the Senate was adjourned shortly before 2 a.m.Following the rejection of three additional amendments regarding the trail's timing and procedures, the Senate approved the rules of impeachment as put forth by Sen. McConnell.
Cipollone, in response, blasted Nadler's characterization, saying,"Mr. Nadler, you owe an apology to the president of the United States and his family, you owe an apology to the Senate, but most of all, you owe an apology to the American people.”The Senate is now debating additional amendments to the rules related to the trail's timing and procedures.
And after a brief, five-minute break it was on to the seventh amendment of the evening to"prevent the selective admission of evidence and to provide for appropriate handling of classified and confidential materials." But Schumer responded that he believes each of the remaining votes are extremely important to the country and the Senate will take each of these votes. Schumer offered to put off the remaining votes until Wednesday, but McConnell did not agree to it.After a pause, a debate began on Schumer's fifth amendment to subpoena Department of Defense documents. Democratic Rep. Jason Crow kicked off talk and will reserve some of their one hour to respond to the White House argument on this amendment.
Eric Ueland, the White House Legislative Affairs director, who has been in the chamber for the trial, left the door open to the Trump team putting forward a motion to dismiss as early as Wednesday. Schumer announces a fourth amendment -- to subpoena testimony from acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney.
"What time is it?" Risch could be heard asking when Schiff appeared to run over the time allotted for the managers. He then started tapping the face of his wristwatch, which echoed through the chamber. Sekulow said that the fact that the aid was ultimately provided without an announcement of an investigation into the Bidens or Burisma undercuts the Democrats' argument that President Trump held back the money for his own political benefit.
He says the decision to withhold military aid from Ukraine was"personal" to him and that OMB played a key role in the decisions to hold back aid approved by Congress. Schiff appeals directly to the senators sitting silently in the chamber in his argument that they should vote to subpoena the State Department for additional evidence in the impeachment trial.
Adam Schiff speaks on the Senate floor during the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, Jan. 21, 2020, in Washington, DC.Although Ambassadors Kurt Volker and Gordon Sondland both testified as part of the House impeachment inquiry, Schiff pointed out that the third"amigo" - former Energy Secretary Rick Perry - has thus far refused to cooperate with investigators or provide any documents.
A few aides have been walking on and off the floor to deliver notes to members, who for the most part remain quiet and attentive. House manager Val Demings is now making an argument in favor of an amendment to subpoena to State Department for documents related to Ukraine. A Florida State University and Webster University graduate, Demings is the only member of the managing team without a law degree, and the only member with a law enforcement background.Sen. Chuck Schumer speaks to reporters during a brief recess on the first full day of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 21, 2020.
The Senate Chamber as members vote on the amendment offered by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump, Jan. 21, 2020, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. "We are ready to present our case. We are ready to call our witnesses. The question is will you let us?" he asks.3:42 p.m. Former GOP Sen. Jeff Flake watches from Senate Gallery
She says evidence released through Freedom of Information Act requests and messages from Ruddy Giuliani associate Lev Parnas made public after the House impeachment vote show that the White House documents could further implicate the president in wrongdoing concerning the withheld aid to Ukraine. Lofgren points out that multiple witnesses in the House investigation testified they took detailed, handwritten notes around relevant events like the July 25 call between Trump and Ukrainian President Zelenskiy.
Senators seem to be paying close attention, maintaining eye contact with the speakers, and taking notes. When Schiff played a video of Trump saying he wanted to hear from witnesses - Minority Leader Schumer began to grin widely. He looked pleased. President Donald Trump's personal attorney Jay Sekulow speaks during the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Jan. 21, 2020."He said not in those words of course, which is not the first time Mr. Schiff has put words into transcripts that did not exist. Mr. Schiff also talked about a trifecta," Sekulow says.
Sekulow argues that the only reason we are here is because Democrats want the president removed from office. ABC's Trish Turner on Capitol Hill reports aides to moderate GOP Sen. Susan Collins say she and others raised concerns about trying to fit the 24 hours of opening statements in two days under the proposed rules and the admission of the House transcript of the evidence into the Senate record.
Some of the key senators, like Collins, “were clearly concerned about the topics around which changes were made," this senator said, reports ABC's Trish Turner.Sen. Ron Johnson said, “There was pretty strong feeling which is why it got changed,” saying the concern extended even beyond moderate senators. Republicans wanted to take an argument away from Schumer, he said."We are not trying to hide testimony in the wee hours of the morning.
"If a president can obstruct his own investigation, if he can effectively nullify a power, the Constitution gives solely to Congress and indeed the ultimate power, the ultimate power the Constitution gives to prevent presidential misconduct, then the president places himself beyond accountability, above the law," Schiff says.
“If the Senate votes to deprive itself of witnesses and documents the opening statements will be the end of the trial,” Schiff says. While speaking on the Senate floor, Schiff plays several clips of President Trump. The first shows Trump saying he wants witnesses, and another featuring the President saying Article II of the Constitution gives him the right to do"whatever I want."This trial, he added, should not"reward" the president's obstruction by letting him determine what evidence is seen by the Senate.
White House counsel Pat Cipollone speaks during the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Jan. 21, 2020. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts speaks during the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Jan. 21, 2020.In a major change, the proposed rules would now allow each side to make their case in a total of 24 hours over three -- not two -- days.McConnell's team is expected to confirm that evidence from the House inquiry will now be admitted but not new evidence obtained since the House vote to impeach the president on Dec.
Minority Leader Schumer calls McConnell's rules"completely partisan" and"designed by President Trump and for President Trump," adding they would mean"a rushed trial with little evidence in the dark of night." Chief Justice John Roberts arrives for the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Jan.21, 2020.12:25 p.m. Key GOP senators say they're on board with McConnell's proposed rules
Murkowski echoes Romney, saying,“It’s the same 24 hours , so what’s the difference if it’s eight hours or 12?” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer speaks at a press conference on President Donald Trump's impeachment trial on Jan. 21, 2020, in Washington. Schumer says he will ask that White House documents be subpeonaed. including phone records between Trump and Ukraine's president, and other call records between administration officials about the military aid meant for Ukraine that Trump directed be withheld.
He also said McConnell is “compressing the time of the trial,” citing the extended 12-hour days for arguments.Schiff says managers will appeal to the senators today to “live up to the oath that they have taken.”
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