Impeachment manager Rep. Zoe Lofgren: 'It would be wrong for you senators, acting as judges, to be deprived of relevant evidence of the president's offenses when you are judging these most serious charges.'
Senate impeachment trial of President Trump convenes: ABC News Live- Heated arguments over Senate rules resolution that now calls for 24 hours of arguments over three -- not two -- days after GOP's Collins objects- House managers complain about proposed trial rules, claiming McConnell is orchestrating a cover-up- McConnell lays out resolution on rules for the trial
"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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