SHAFAQNA- The US Senate opened the impeachment trial of President Trump on Thursday with the swearing in of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
In a ceremony that initiated only the third presidential impeachment trial in the nation’s history, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts administered the oath to the senators to “do impartial justice”.
Justice Roberts asked the senators, “Do you solemnly swear that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of Donald Trump, President of the United States, now pending, you will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and the laws, so help you God?”
The lawmakers responded with “I do” before each signing in a book that they took the oath. Republican senate leader Mitch McConnell then adjourned the pre-trial proceedings and announced the trial would begin at 13:00 EST (7am NZT) on Tuesday, RNZ told.
The Senate conducted its ceremonial functions of the impeachment trial on Thursday before the actual arguments will get underway next Tuesday. House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, a California Democrat and the lead impeachment manager, read the articles aloud in the chamber while senators looked on from their desks.
The outcome of the trial is all but determined, as the two-thirds vote required to remove the President would need 20 Republican senators to break ranks. But that doesn’t mean the trial itself won’t have twists and turns — and potentially some surprises — as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell navigates the demands of his Senate conference, pressures from Democrats and the whims of Trump and his Twitter account.
Pelosi said at her weekly press conference Thursday that Senate Republicans are “afraid of the truth,” when asked what her response is to Senate Republicans who say they shouldn’t have to consider new evidence like the Parnas material because it wasn’t included in the House investigation.
“They don’t want to see documents, they don’t want to hear from eyewitnesses,” Pelosi said. “They want to ignore anything new that comes up.”
McConnell has rejected the Democratic demands, saying the question of witnesses should be taken up after the House and the President’s legal team make their opening arguments. Republicans are expected to pass the rules to put off the question of witnesses without Democratic votes, CNN reported.
Trump faces two charges after the House voted to impeach him last month. One, that he abused his presidential power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden, using military aid to the country as leverage. Trump is also charged with obstructing Congress’ ensuing probe.
The president insists he did nothing wrong, and he dismissed the trial anew on Thursday at the White House: “It’s totally partisan. It’s a hoax.” Eventual acquittal is expected in the Republican-controlled Senate. However, new revelations are mounting about Trump’s actions toward Ukraine, according to AP.