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Trump impeachment trial, Schiff says Trump used his power ‘to cheat’ in the election

“President Trump solicited foreign interference in our democratic elections, abusing the power of his office to seek help from abroad to improve his re-election prospects at home,” Mr. Schiff, a California Democrat, said from the well of the Senate. “President Trump,” he added, “withheld hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to a strategic partner at war with Russia to secure foreign help with his re-election. In other words, to cheat.”


Opening arguments begin in Trump impeachment trial,
Adam Schiff says Trump used his power ‘to cheat’ in the election.
US Senate impeachment trial of the 45th President of United States, Donald Trump resumes to hear impeachment managers' opening arguments

Supreme Court chief justice John Roberts assumed his post, and Trump’s impeachment trial has officially resumed.

During Tuesday trials which runs into the early morning hours Wednesday, Republicans repeatedly rejected motions to subpoena witnesses and documents related to the President's Ukraine scandal. Several Republican senators on Wednesday echoed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in arguing against having witnesses for the trial after each side makes its presentations and the senators have a chance to ask questions.

The trial rules allows each side 24 hours, spread over three days, to present its opening arguments, but it’s unclear whether the managers will use the whole time.
The lead House impeachment manager asserted that President Trump abused his power “to cheat” in the election, as Democratic prosecutors opened their case for removing him at the Senate trial. Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California and the lead House impeachment manager, is presenting the case against President Trump in the Senate.

The White House is blasting out rapid response emails to defend Trump as Adam Schiff is hammering against the President. "President Trump Has Been Completely Transparent with the American People" and "The President’s July 25th Call Was Perfect", says White House.

Echoing his earlier comments, lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff argued Trump’s actions toward Ukraine and House investigators prove the president believes he is “above the law.”

The House intelligence committee chairman applauded the administration officials who testified during the public impeachment hearings, but he insisted other officials -- including former national security adviser John Bolton and acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney -- should be asked to testify for the Senate trial.

Schiff argued the documents that Trump was “unable to suppress” clearly “expose the president’s scheme in detail.”

Adam Schiff, the lead House impeachment manager, began his team’s opening arguments by thanking Supreme Court chief justice John Roberts for his handling of the trial yesterday.

As yesterday’s proceedings concluded, Roberts admonished both sides for engaging in attacks against each other. “Those addressing the Senate should remember where they are,” Roberts said.

Schiff then moved on to his team’s arguments, starting with a reading of an Alexander Hamilton quote that warned of “a man unprincipled in private life desperate in his fortune.

”The House impeachment managers now presenting their opening arguments will have 24 hours, spread over three days, to make their case, but it’s unclear whether they will use the full 24 hours.

The focus will then shift to Trump’s legal team, who will also get 24 hours to present their opening arguments. The president’s lawyers have so far kept mum on how much of their 24 hours they intend to use.

Schiff said, "the question for you is whether the president’s undisputed actions require the removal of the 45th president of the United States from office," adding that Trump "abused his office...by using his power for personal gain, by seeking illicitly foreign assistance in his reelection".

"If this conduct is not impeachable, then nothing is," he said.

Shortly before taking the Senate floor, Adam Schiff dismissed a report that some Democratic senators have weighed leveraging the testimony of Hunter Biden, the former vice president’s son, in order to hear from John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser.

“This isn’t like some fantasy football trade,” Schiff said just before the impeachment trial resumed. “Trials aren’t trades for witnesses.”

Campaigning in Iowa, Joe Biden also denied that Senate Democrats were considering such a proposal. “No, they’re not,” the presidential candidate said when asked about the report.

But one of the Washington Post reporters who spoke to Democratic officials about the proposal insisted the denials simply showed how sensitive the discussions were:


The House managers?

The House of Representatives appointed seven Democrats to make their case against Trump. That presentation began on Wednesday, with two hours of opening statements from House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff.

What evidence has come out since Trump was impeached? 

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, during his opening statements on Wednesday, referenced new evidence that has emerged since the House's initial inquiry.

Schiff said "there is significantly more evidence of the president’s guilt, that he continues to block" from the impeachment proceedings.

The new evidence includes:

Statements from Ukrainian businessman Lev Parnas,

An offer from former National Security Advisor John Bolton to testify if subpoenaed by the Senate

A government watchdog report saying the Trump administration broke key federal budget laws in unilaterally withholding aid from Ukraine

Emails and media reports that shed further light on the machinations surrounding the withheld aid.


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