Currents News Staff
With the ceremony and the swearings-in out of the way last week, the Senate today is set to begin the real business of the impeachment trial of President Trump.
Yet, there’s still great debate over what that trial should look like.
After days of previewing their cases in back-and-forth filings, the House impeachment managers — and President Trump’s legal team — are set to take the Senate floor.
Jan. 21 marks the third presidential impeachment trial in the history of the U.S., and the first in more than 20 years.
“This is going to be a complex trial with a lot of issues,” said Democratic Senator Chris Coons.
On Monday night, President Trump left the White House and Washington for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Before House managers and the president’s legal team offer opening arguments, Tuesday will bring a debate and a vote on the trial rules proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
McConnell’s plan allows the two sides 24 hours each to make their opening arguments in two twelve-hour sessions that could stretch into late night hours, given the trial’s 1 p.m. start time each day.
It also puts off the question of witnesses until after those opening arguments.
“Mitch McConnell will go down in history as one of the people eroding democracy because he has gone along with President Trump’s cover up, hook, line and sinker,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, blasting the plan.
To call any witnesses, Democrats would have to sway at least four Republicans to vote with them for a majority.
The White House praised McConnell’s proposal, saying it “protects the president’s right to a fair trial.”