GOP, Dems clash over documents as impeachment trial begins
President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial is set to unfold at the Capitol.
By Daniel Moore / Block News Alliance
Tue, 21 Jan 2020 14:07:16 GMT
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WASHINGTON — House Democrats and White House lawyers sparred for more than nine hours on the floor of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday over whether to call witnesses and issue subpoenas for documents in the impeachment trial of President Trump.
And as the evening turned to night on Capitol Hill, Senate Republicans had rejected four attempts by Senate Democrats to obtain new information as a sharply divided chamber grappled with the ground rules for the historic proceedings.
Each proposed amendment was tabled by the identical majority vote count — 53 Republicans to 47 Democrats. Late Tuesday, both sides were debating a fifth proposed amendment put forth by Democrats.
The votes were called a major victory for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.), who will likely get his way in shaping the third impeachment trial in U.S. history. Mr. McConnell solidified support from his party for his resolution, which schedules opening arguments and time for senators’ questioning before deciding whether to call witnesses or to demand documents.
Tuesday’s session featured a fierce debate between House impeachment managers, who argued the Senate had a responsibility to hear witness testimony like any other trial, and lawyers for Mr. Trump, who argued the House had not proved its case.
“A trial without witnesses is indefensible,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, (D., Calif.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and the face of the 12-week House impeachment inquiry last fall. “That’s not a trial. That’s a mockery of a trial.”
“You should want to see these what these documents say,” Mr. Schiff told the senators. “Don’t blind yourself to the evidence.”
House Democrats accuse Mr. Trump of abusing his office for demanding that Ukraine announce an investigation into former vice president Joe Biden, who is running against Mr. Trump in this year’s presidential election.
Democrats allege Mr. Trump withheld nearly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine and a coveted White House meeting for its new president to pressure Ukraine to announce an investigation into Mr. Biden.
In December, the House of Representatives voted to impeach Mr. Trump on two charges: abuse of power and obstruction of justice.
On Tuesday, White House Counsel Pat A. Cipollone responded by railing against Mr. Schiff’s handling of the inquiry, saying Democrats had not allowed the President due process. He said Democrats’ demands for witnesses revealed the weakness of their case.
The Democrats’ case before the Senate is like “If I showed up to [a] court in this country, and I said: ‘Judge, my case is overwhelming, but I’m not ready to go yet. I need more evidence,’” Mr. Cipollone said. “I would get thrown out in two seconds. And that’s exactly what should happen here.”
Mr. Cipollone argued that the President had not conditioned the foreign aid on an investigation of a political rival, but rather to urge Ukraine to root out corruption. “The President has done nothing wrong,” he said. “There is absolutely no case.”
Tuesday’s session played out in an extraordinary setting, before all 100 senators sitting in stony silence at their mahogany and walnut desks. Phones and other electronic devices were barred from the chamber, a ban that covered reporters in the press gallery.
“All persons are commanded to keep silent, on pain of imprisonment,” commanded the Senate sergeant-at-arms stated at the outset of the session. The same rule governed the previous two impeachment trials.
At times during the lengthy presentations, the senators fidgeted, leaned forward on their elbows or reclined, sometimes yawned, took notes, and flipped through the large white binders containing documents pertaining to the House impeachment investigation.
Senate pages — positions filled by high school juniors and seniors who serve as messengers and general helpers — scurried around, filling water glasses and assisting senators as needed. Security guards filled the Capitol, limiting reporters’ access to some areas.
John Roberts, chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, presided over the debate. Mr. Roberts spoke only to recognize speakers, announce the remaining debate time, and call on senators during the votes. He was due for oral arguments at the Supreme Court at 10 a.m. Wednesday before heading back to the Capitol.
Mr. Schiff and other House impeachment managers sat at a long table at the front of the Democratic side of the Senate floor. Mr. Trump’s legal team — which includes Kenneth Starr, whose investigations led to former President Bill Clinton‘s 1999 impeachment trial — sat at the front of the Republican side of the floor.
Each amendment, proposed by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), the Senate minority leader, generated roughly two hours of debate before it was ultimately voted down by Republicans.
Mr. McConnell’s proposal allows up to 24 hours for the six House managers, to present their case over the course of three sessions. The White House legal team would also have up to 24 hours over three sessions to present their arguments. Senators would then be allowed up to 16 hours to question both sides.
Senators could consider calling witnesses or requesting documents only after the arguments and questioning is completed.
Mr. McConnell made his adjustment after encountering resistance from Republicans during a closed-door lunch meeting. Senators worried about the public reaction to cramming the 24 hours of opening arguments from each side into just two days.
Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Lisa Murkowksi of Alaska, along with a substantial number of other Republicans, wanted the changes, according to people familiar with the situation. Some senators argued that the two-day limit would have helped Democrats cast Republicans as squeezing testimony through in the dead of night.
Ms. Collins and Ms. Murkowski, who often ally to buck GOP leadership, sat side by side in the Senate through the day’s proceedings.
Meanwhile, Mr. Trump was in Davos, Switzerland, meeting with other global leaders and touting U.S. economic prosperity at the World Economic Forum.
In brief remarks to reporters, he dismissed his impeachment as a “hoax.”
“It goes nowhere because nothing happened. The only thing we’ve done is a great job,” he said. “That whole thing is a total hoax, so I’m sure it’s going to work out fine.”
The Block News Alliance consists of The Blade and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Daniel Moore is a reporter for the Post-Gazette. Information from The Blade news services was used in this report. Contact him at: dmoore@post-gazette.com, Twitter @PGdanielmoore