Here’s How a Senate Impeachment Trial Will Work
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released his resolution on Monday that set the ground rules for the Senate process to impeach President Trump, and Democrats in particular are not happy about it. I wonder where we are in the impeachment process? Or are you wondering what exactly McConnell suggested? Here’s everything you need to know about the state of the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump.
How will the trial proceed?
McConnell’s four-page resolution suggested, among others, the following test parameters:
- Both House managers and President Trump’s defense team will be given 24 hours over two business days to present their arguments.
- Senators can interrogate both sides up to 4 pm.
- After interrogation, both parties, equally divided among themselves, will spend four hours arguing.
- The Senate will then vote to determine whether they will summon witnesses or documents.
- “If the Senate agrees to allow either the House of Representatives or the President to summon witnesses to trial, the witnesses must first be removed and the Senate must decide, after adjournment, which witnesses are to testify under the rules of impeachment.”
- The Senate will then vote on each article of impeachment.
What was the answer?
Not very positive, at least when it comes to Democratic leaders. Much of the criticism is directed at McConnell’s parameter, which restricts House leaders to present their case within two business days, which will speed up the trial. Earlier this month, McConnell announced his intention to follow the rules set during the Clinton trial; The court in the impeachment case of former President Bill Clinton also granted 24 hours to present its case, but did not impose additional restrictions beyond that. ( The New York Times also described two other significant differences that set McConnell’s resolution apart from the one that defined the Clinton trial.)
“His resolution calls for an expedited trial with minimal evidence, conducted in the dark of the night,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Morning Joe after the resolution was unveiled. “If their arguments are so strong, why are they afraid to present them in daylight?”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also criticized McConnell’s resolution, calling it a “cover-up” in a statement . “No jury will be asked to operate on McConnell’s absurdly tight schedule, and it is clear that no Senator voting for him is going to really weigh the compelling evidence of the president’s attacks on our Constitution.”
What’s going on today?
Today, starting at 1:00 pm ET, Senators will likely spend most of the day discussing McConnell’s resolution, followed by a vote. And starting tomorrow, the first arguments of both sides will begin. If you want to stay informed,CBS News is streaming the trial on YouTuberight now.