“Hear ye! Hear ye!” was the call heard throughout the chamber as the United States Senate opened the third ever impeachment trial in United States history. In December the House of Representatives passed two articles of impeachment, regarding Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States. The two approved articles of impeachment were on charges of abuse of power and the obstruction of Congress.
President Trump is accused of pressuring the Ukrainian government to dig up damaging information on his main Democratic challenger for the presidency in 2020, former Vice President Joe Biden, as well as his son Hunter, who had worked for a Ukranian company. The president is accused of withholding $400 million in military aid to Ukraine. The sum of money had already been allocated by Congress. Democrats concluded this amounts to an abuse of presidential power, as using the office of the presidency for personal political gain is a detriment to national security. The second charge regards Trump obstructing Congress by refusing to cooperate with the congressional inquiry.
“I JUST GOT IMPEACHED FOR MAKING A PERFECT PHONE CALL!” tweeted Trump on January 16th
Democrats appointed seven House managers to manage the Senate impeachment trial. They represent the diverse backgrounds necessary in order to present all evidence in a meaningful and useful manner. Representative Adam B. Schiff was appointed lead House manager of the impeachment trial after emerging as one of the most prominent Democrats spearheading the inquiry into Mr. Trump’s conduct.
The Senate issued a formal summons for President Trump, informing him of the charges that had been filed against him. Senators set a series of deadlines for Trump’s team as well as the House managers appointed to the case. In response to this, Senator Mitch McConnell and his aides were working to finish a resolution that would establish details regarding information on the trial. Schiff read the articles of impeachment against Mr. Trump aloud in the Senate chamber, laying out the case against him. U.S. Senators signed a document stating that they understood the case presented to them and that they would take into account all evidence brought forth.
The job of the House managers is to present the Senate with details and information regarding Trump’s offenses. “We will now show you these facts, and many others, and show you how they are interwoven. You will see some of these facts and videos in a new context, and a new light, in the light of what else we know, and why it compels a finding of guilt and conviction, ” said Schiff.
Trump however, dismissed the trial’s importance stating, “We did nothing wrong. We have tremendous support in the Republican Party, like we’ve never had before.” However, his most memorable quote from the trial fully encapsulates his belief that he in fact, acted in the U.S.’s best interest. “I JUST GOT IMPEACHED FOR MAKING A PERFECT PHONE CALL!” tweeted Trump on January 16th. Nevertheless, the Democrats hold firmly to the belief that a “perfect phone call” generally does not involve withholding aid from a foreign nation for personal gain, or blocking Congress from doing the job they were elected to do.
