What happened: Democratic House managers have wrapped up their opening arguments. It was their final chance to make an uninterrupted pitch to senators.
Tomorrow: The trial resumes at 10 a.m. ET. President Trump’s legal team will begin their opening arguments.
Our live coverage has ended, but you can scroll through the posts to read more.
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The impeachment trial has ended for the day. Here's what happened.
The President’s defense team is expected to take the podium at 10 a.m. ET tomorrow to deliver their opening remarks.
In case you missed it, here’s what happened today:
Democrats wrap up arguments: Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado opened the day by continuing to try to get ahead of arguments likely to come from the President’s legal team when they begin their presentation tomorrow, pushing back on expected defense about the withholding of US security aid. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries claimed in his remarks that the President worked hard to hide his misconduct. “The President tried to cheat. He got caught, and then he worked hard to cover it up,” he said.
Republican senators derided the arguments as repetitive: GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham said today that the House impeachment managers have been “very professional, very respectful” in presenting their case, despite a couple of “dust-ups” at the beginning of the trial. But he criticized Democrats for being repetitive, saying the managers are “over-trying their case.”
Shorter session tomorrow: The President’s lawyers will begin their arguments, and the Senate is starting earlier at 10 a.m. ET. The President’s attorney Jay Sekulow previewed what tomorrow’s arguments would look like, saying, “I guess we would call it a trailer, and a coming attractions would be the best way to say it. And obviously, three hours to put it out, so we will take whatever time is appropriate in the three hours to lay out how the case is going to look like and next week is the full presentation.”
Trump is not happy about the session: The President complained about the start date on Twitter this morning, saying, “looks like my lawyers will be forced to start on Saturday, which is called Death Valley in T.V.” Graham, a Trump ally, said he spoke to the President recently and Trump told him he’s “bored” by the proceedings.
Democratic leader urges senators to support witness vote: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asked his Republican colleagues to join Democrats in voting for witnesses and documents at the Senate trial. At least 51 senators must vote in order to subpoena documents and witnesses. If all 47 senators who caucus with the Democrats vote for the motion, at least four Republican senators would need to join them in order to pass it.
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The Democrats wrap up their opening arguments
The Democratic House managers’ remarks have concluded.
The trial is now adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow.
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Schiff makes a final plea for witnesses: "Give America a fair trial"
Rep. Adam Schiff urged senators not to rush the impeachment trial of President Trump and to consider allowing witnesses.
“This is no parking ticket we are contesting, no shoplifting case we are prosecuting. It is a matter of high crimes and misdemeanors,” he said.
Schiff continued: “How long is too long to have a fair trial? Fair to the President and fair to the American people. The American people do not agree on much but they will not forgive being deprived of the truth and certainly not because it took a backseat to expediency.”
The California Democrat closed his argument with a final plea to senators:
Watch more:
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Schiff lays out what he expects to hear from Trump's defense team
House manager Adam Schiff laid out several arguments he expects to hear from President Trump’s attorneys in the coming days.
The California Democrat said he anticipates Trump’s attorneys will argue that Trump’s July 25 call with Ukraine’s president was “perfect” — a line that the President has frequently repeated.
Schiff went on to say that he suspects they don’t want to make that argument, but have to because Trump will want to hear it.
Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said the Senate would likely hear Trump’s attorneys bring up that the President said there was no quid pro quo.
“The President said there was no quid pro quo. That’s the end of the story. This is the criminal law that if the defendant says he didn’t do it, he couldn’t have done it. If the defendant learns he’s been caught and he says he didn’t do it, he couldn’t have done it. That doesn’t hold up in any court in the land. It shouldn’t hold up here,” he said.
Watch more:
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Schiff says he expects Trump's attorneys will "attack" his team
Senate TV
Rep. Adam Schiff said that he anticipates that President Trump’s attorneys will “attack the managers” during their opening arguments.
He said he expects they’ll claim, “Those managers are just awful. They’re terrible people. Especially that Schiff guy. He’s the worst. He’s the worst.”
Schiff argued that this is meant to distract from Trump’s misconduct.
Watch more:
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Schiff: The country "will get beyond this ugly chapter of our history"
In his closing remarks, Democratic House manager Adam Schiff said that he believes the United States “will get beyond this ugly chapter of our history” but allowing President Trump to claim that the Constitution says “he can do whatever he wants” will be an “unending injury to our country.”
Here’s his remarks:
Watch:
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Schiff will finish the arguments for the Democrats
Senate TV
Rep. Adam Schiff took to the podium and told the chamber that “this is the last presentation of the evening.”
He began: “First point I would like to make is that I’m tired, I don’t know about you but I am exhausted. And I can only imagine how you feel.”
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Sekulow gives a preview of the defense team's arguments
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Ahead of the final few hours of the House managers’ presentation, President Trump’s lawyer Jay Sekulow offered his assessment of the case: “Really, trying to remove the President from the ballot in 2020… they don’t trust the American people to make a decision.”
Sekulow noted that House managers “kicked the door down” on Burisma and the Bidens, and that they will be responding. “They spent hours on it,” he said.
“How do you not bring up the Steele dossier? They talked about all the foreign interference as if this is — I’m going to bring a couple of things tomorrow … I’m gonna tell you something. Look for things. Look for things like the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance court. You want to talk about foreign interference? See what the FISA court had to say about that in the last couple of weeks,” he said.
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Democrats have about 4 hours left to make their case, but will only take 2, aide says
From CNN's Ted Barrett
The Democratic House managers have about four hours left on the clock but only are expected to take about two hours, an aide to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said.
An aide to Rep. Adam Schiff would not confirm that but did say that Schiff will speak when the end is near.
The aide doesn’t know how long the speech will be, because Schiff is at the table on the Senate floor still writing it out in longhand.
Republican Sen. Roy Blunt also said he expects there to be about two hours more.
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The trial has resumed
The senators are back from their dinner break. The House managers are continuing their opening arguments.
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Here's what Trump said about the tape of him demanding the firing of Yovanovitch
From CNN's Betsy Klein
Former US Ambassador to the Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch
Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images/FILE
Fox News just aired a clip of President Trump’s interview, which is set to air in the 10 p.m. hour tonight.
Trump doesn’t deny the ABC recording report, and reiterates that he is “not a fan” of former Ambassador to the Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.
Asked specifically if he was telling Lev Parnas to dismiss Yovanovitch, Trump said, “Well I wouldn’t have been saying that. I probably would have said if it was Rudy there or somebody, but I make no bones about it, I won’t have ambassadors — I have every right, I want ambassadors that are chosen by me, I have a right to hire and fire ambassadors.”
More context: Trump was captured on tape at a 2018 dinner with Parnas and another indicted Giuliani associated, Igor Fruman, demanding the firing of Yovanovitch, who was then the US ambassador to Ukraine, according to Bondy.
“Get rid of her!” a voice appearing to belong to Trump says on the recording, according to ABC News, which on Friday first reported its existence.
“Get her out tomorrow. I don’t care. Get her out tomorrow. Take her out. OK? Do it.”
CNN has not reviewed the tape.
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Why House managers keep pushing for additional witnesses and documents
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
Former federal prosecutor Anne Milgram took questions from viewers today on Anderson Cooper Full Circle.
One of the questions posed was about the Democrats’ repeated request for additional witness testimony and documents.
Milgram said that while House managers have described a lot of the evidence they already have in their opening remarks this week, “there are critical witnesses that are really in the Trump inner circle that provide a lot of information that I think the American people probably want to know, that the House managers clearly want to know, that have been withheld.”
She went on to break down their argument:
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Lev Parnas's attorney turned over Trump tape about Yovanovitch to the House Intelligence Committee
From CNN's Jim Acosta
Attorney Joseph Bondy, left, and Lev Parnas depart federal court December 2, 2019 in New York City.
Stephanie Keith/Getty Images/FILE
Joseph Bondy, attorney for indicted Rudy Giuliani associate Lev Parnas, said he turned over audio of President Trump talking about former Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch to the House Intelligence Committee, confirming a report in the New York Times.
Bondy said he had Parnas go back through his “cloud” and Parnas found the audio.
What’s this about: Trump was captured on tape at a 2018 dinner with Parnas and another indicted Giuliani associated, Igor Fruman, demanding the firing of Yovanovitch, who was then the US ambassador to Ukraine, according to Bondy.
“Get rid of her!” a voice appearing to belong to Trump says on the recording, according to ABC News, which on Friday first reported its existence.
“Get her out tomorrow. I don’t care. Get her out tomorrow. Take her out. OK? Do it.”
CNN has not reviewed the tape.
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Senators take a 30-minute break
The Senate trial is on a 30-minute break for dinner.
House impeachment managers will resume their remarks after the break.
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Jeffries: Trump impeachment investigation "largely tracks" with Nixon
Senate TV
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said during remarks this afternoon that the “sequence of events” in the Trump impeachment “largely track those in the Nixon proceedings.”
He summarized the Nixon inquiry like this:
Jeffries argued that the course of events in the Trump inquiry is “entirely consistent with the Richard Nixon precedent.”
In addressing how Trump has repeatedly criticized the process of the impeachment, Jeffries said that the President “is a suspect, a suspect who may have committed a high crime or misdemeanor.”
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House manager Jerry Nadler calls Trump "a dictator"
Senate TV
House manager Jerry Nadler closed out his remarks this afternoon with some of the most fiery language that’s been heard so far directed at President Trump, calling him “a dictator.”
The New York Democrat said Trump is the “first and only president ever to declare himself unaccountable and to ignore subpoenas backed by the Constitution’s impeachment power.”
He continued: “If he is not removed from office, if he is permitted to defy the Congress entirely, categorically, to say the subpoenas from Congress in the impeachment inquiry are nonsense, then we will have lost, the House will have lost, the Senate certainly will have lost, all power to hold any president accountable.”
Nadler said Trump “wants to be all powerful. He does not have to respect the Congress. He does not have to rescue the representatives of the people. Only his will goes.”
Watch the moment:
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Trump allies showed up at the trial this afternoon
From CNN's Kristin Wilson
Rep. Mike Johnson, left, and Rep. Mark Meadows confer before speaking to reporters during a break in the impeachment trial on Friday, January 24.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Republican Reps. Mark Meadows, Lee Zeldin and Mike Johnson — all staunch defenders of President Trump —slipped in around 4:45 p.m. ET to watch the impeachment trial.
About today’s proceedings: Democratic House managers are wrapping up their opening statements.
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Anderson Cooper will be live here soon. What are your impeachment questions?
Former federal prosecutor Anne Milgram is joining Anderson Cooper to answer your impeachment questions live at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Submit them here and tune in to get caught up on the impeachment trial. It will air at the top of your screen here.
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Trump makes no mention of impeachment during mayors event
From CNN's Maegan Vazquez
Alex Brandon/AP
President Trump did not bring up the ongoing Senate impeachment trial during his remarks at an event hosting mayors at the White House this afternoon.
Trump said the event, hosting a bipartisan group of mayors, was an effort “to strengthen the bonds of cooperation between federal and local governments.”
Trump went on to praise what he saw as the administration’s accomplishments. He said American communities have been “lifted up by our booming economy,” and that the US has created “the most inclusive economy anywhere in the world.”
He also talked about the administration’s work on criminal justice.
“People aren’t going back to jail at anywhere near the clip (they used to)”, he said.
He also touted national declines in murders in US cities and declines in opioid addiction and overdose deaths.
Trump signed Securing American Nonprofit Organizations Against Terrorism Act of 2019 into law. The legislation appropriates $75 million per year, for the next five years ($375 million total), to protect our houses of worship and other nonprofits from terrorist attacks through target hardening and enhanced security measures, according to the White House.
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Romney reacts to length of trial: "Oh jeez, no one's watching"
From CNN's Michael Warren
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
During the break, GOP Sen. Mike Braun walked by his neighbor, Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, and told him, “I think we’ve got another six hours.”
Romney looked genuinely surprised and overwhelmed. “Oh jeez,” he said, shaking his head. “No one’s watching!”
A few seconds later, GOP Sen. Tim Scott walked by and said something to Romney, who responded, “I’m dying, I’m dying!” He then opened up a bag of what looked like peanuts, then walked over to talk to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
The session was back in order a little after 4 p.m. ET. There were quite a few tardy senators on both sides, but once most people got back in their seats, most looked fairly attentive.
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Trump lawyer attacks obscure Justice Department official
From CNN's Marshall Cohen
CNN
The Democratic House managers hammered away at President Trump today for his tendency to contradict or reject US intelligence assessments about Russia and Ukraine.
It’s true that Trump has repeatedly questioned, dismissed, or contradicted the public assessments from US intelligence agencies about Russia’s efforts to assist his campaign in 2016, and many other national security topics, including the killing of a Saudi journalist and the North Korean nuclear program. Special counsel Robert Mueller’s report cited testimony from several top Trump aides, who said Trump views information about Russian meddling as “a challenge to the legitimacy of his election.”
Speaking with reporters during a break, Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow offered an explanation for Trump’s behavior.
“For the life of me, I can’t figure out why he’s still there,” Sekulow added.
This was a reference to Bruce Ohr, a senior Justice Department official who met with retired British spy Christopher Steele during the 2016 campaign and funneled information from his “dossier” to FBI investigators. During that time, Ohr’s wife worked as a researcher for Fusion GPS, an opposition research firm that hired Steele to dig up information about Trump’s ties to Russia.
The Justice Department inspector general said in a report last year that Ohr made “consequential errors in judgement” by meeting with Steele without notifying his superiors. But the report rejected Trump’s claims that Ohr’s work, and the Steele dossier, was what caused the FBI to open its investigation in July 2016 into links between the Trump campaign and Russia.
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Democrats say Trump told these 6 government offices to ignore subpoenas
Senate TV
House manager Val Demings opened her afternoon remarks by discussing Trump’s direction to current and former White House officials not to comply with subpoenas to testify and turn over documents to impeachment investigators.
The Democratic congresswoman also listed off the government agencies that have not complied, at Trump’s direction.
She said: “Following President Trump’s orders, the Office of the Vice President, the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of State, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense all continued to refuse to produce a single document or record in response to 71 specific requests, including five subpoenas.”
Here’s a graphic that Democrats showed during Demings’ presentation:
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The trial is back in session
The Senate is back from a short break to continue the impeachment trial of President Trump.
The Democratic House managers are finishing their opening arguments today.
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Trump's lawyer says tomorrow's session will be like "coming attractions"
Jay Sekulow, a member of President Trump’s defense team, said their arguments on Saturday could be described as “a trailer, and a coming attractions.”
Earlier today, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that tomorrow’s session will begin at 10 a.m. ET, and run a few hours.
Watch Sekulow’s remarks:
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Here's what happened when video of John McCain was played during the trial
From CNN's Lauren Fox
Senate TV
Moments ago in the Senate chamber, lawmakers listened to a familiar voice no one had heard for quite awhile.
It was a video of the late Sen. John McCain playing on the Senate’s screen, talking about the vital relationship between the US and Ukraine.
The clip was part of the Democrats’ presentation on the importance of preserving the strategic alliance, and as House manager Adam Schiff tossed to the sound, senators looked genuinely surprised — and some comforted — by McCain’s presence in the chamber.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, McCain’s best friend, looked up toward the ceiling for a moment as the clip came to an end. When it was over, Graham folded his hands together and returned his gaze to Schiff.
Watch the moment:
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Kellyanne Conway reacts to Trump recording discussing ambassador: "It's not evidence at all"
From CNN's Betsy Klein
Alex Brandon/AP
Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway was asked today about an ABC report about audio of the President discussing then-Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch in 2018.
Audio obtained by ABC News appears to include President Trump speaking to a small group — which included indicted Rudy Giuliani associates Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman — and telling them to “get rid” of Yovanovitch and “take her out.”
Conway referred reporters to press secretary Stephanie Grisham’s statement, but went on to say, “Every president has the right to have whomever they want on their staff, in their cabinet, as an ambassador. So I think that the people are in a lather about that today, respectfully, because the Lev Parnas credibility and legitimacy and celebrity was immediate from most of you and now it’s like, oh wait, here’s some evidence of that. It’s not evidence at all.”
She continued: “We’ve always maintained he can have whichever staff, we serve at his pleasure, Cabinet, ambassadors, that he would like. How that anything you’re describing is a high crime or misdemeanor that leads to an impeachable offense and remove the democratically-elected President eight months before the next election is a puzzle to me.”
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Senators watch silently as Schiff says Trump was "reciting" Kremlin talking points
From CNN's Manu Raju
Inside the chamber, Republican senators sat silently as House manager Adam Schiff railed on “the most incredible propaganda coup” of President Trump “reciting Kremlin talking points” and a “kooky” conspiracy theory.
Most GOP senators were in the chamber during Schiff’s presentation.
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The Senate trial is on a 15-minute break
Senators just took a 15-minute break.
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Supreme Court gets swamped with impeachment-related calls
From CNN's Ariane De Vogue
The Twittersphere is urging opponents of President Trump to call Chief Justice John Roberts and give him a piece of their mind about the impeachment proceedings.
Some online missives urged Twitter users to contact Roberts and tell him to “stop sitting there.” They even made a veiled reference to a “potted plant.”
Although Roberts is fulfilling his duty under the Constitution and presiding over the trial, his role so far has been largely ceremonial, keeping the clock and the vote tally and sometimes even admonishing the legal teams for a lack of civility. Unlike the quiet of the marble hallways of the Supreme Court — totally void of cameras — the 64-year-old justice has spent long hours front and center on screens across the country. For many, it’s the first they’ve seen of the chief justice since his own confirmation hearings.
While he is wearing his judicial robe and banging a gavel, Roberts is on an unfamiliar playing ground, following the rules put forward by another branch of government.
This morning he was briefly back at the Supreme Court where he held a regular closed door conference with his colleagues and discussed whether to add cases concerning religious liberty, LGBTQ rights, immigration and the Second Amendment to an already blockbuster set of cases.
In a sign that the impeachment proceedings might be impacting the business of the Supreme Court, no opinions will be released next week. Last year at this time the court had announced eight opinions, compared to four this term.
But Roberts’ day job was not of interest on the Twittersphere this morning.
One Twitter user demanded:
See how the Supreme Court plays a role if there’s a tie in the impeachment trial:
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Schiff accuses Trump of promoting "Russian propaganda"
From CNN's Marshall Cohen
During his opening remarks, Democratic House manager Adam Schiff highlighted President Trump’s comments at the 2018 Helsinki summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and accused Trump of promoting “Russian propaganda” and “kooky, crazy” theories that benefit Russia.
Trump embraced these theories, Schiff said, instead of siding with US intelligence agencies.
He continued: “In Helsinki, President Trump chose to believe Putin over his own agencies, ‘I don’t see any reason why it would be referring to Russia.’ Instead of denouncing Russia’s interference, he denounced those investigating Russia’s interference. And he raised that now familiar DNC CrowdStrike server thing. And he raised that now familiar DNC CrowdStrike server thing, ‘I really do want to see the server. I don’t think we can go on without finding out what happened to the server.’ That’s the exact same server that President Trump demanded Ukraine investigate during his July 25th call with Zelensky.”
CNN did a deep-dive on this in 2018, highlighting 10 ways Trump diverged from the findings of the US intelligence community on Russian meddling. Some of these issues later became a part of the Ukraine affair, like Trump’s fixation on who hacked the DNC servers.
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Here's what senators are doing at today's proceedings
From CNN's Clare Foran
Sketch by Bill Hennessy
For the most part, senators have been in their seats this afternoon, but there have been occasional absences with the usual shuffle of people getting up to move about in between speakers, most often to run to the cloakroom or stretch their legs.
At one point, Sens. Rob Portman and Ben Sasse stood behind their chairs, presumably to take a break from sitting.
There were a number of whispered side conversations today as there have been every day so far. Some of the senators spotted talking while the trial went on were Sens. Steve Daines and Marsha Blackburn, and Sens. John Boozman and John Hoeven and later Sens. Lindsey Graham and John Barrasso.
No fidget spinners or glasses of milk have been observed in the chamber so far, but Sen. Mike Braun was spotted with what appeared to be two empty packets of pink Nerds candy on his desk.
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Trump is "bored" by the proceedings, GOP senator says
From CNN's Manu Raju
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, said he spoke with President Trump two nights ago after one of the proceedings this week and he gave him his thoughts about them so far.
Graham, an ally of the President, said Trump thought Democratic House manager Adam Schiff “did a bad job.”
He added that Trump is “bored” by the proceedings.
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Schiff: "Deterring Russia requires persistence"
Senate TV
During his remarks this afternoon, House manager Adam Schiff is focusing in on how delaying aid from Ukraine emboldened Russia.
He called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “a threat to the peace and security of Europe.”
Schiff said that if Congress had not “voted overwhelmingly on a bipartisan basis for military assistance” to Ukraine it would have invited “further Russian adventurism” in the country.
“Deterring Russia requires persistence. Not just one military aid package or one Oval Office meeting, but a sustained policy of support for our partners,” Schiff said. “We only deter Russia by consistently demonstrating support for our friends, friends like Ukraine.”
In his argument, Schiff cited Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of State George Shultz compared diplomacy and alliance management to gardening.
He aded that Trump’s decision to transform the military aid package and Oval Office meeting into “leverage” was “the equivalent of trampling all over Shultz’s garden.”
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Jeffries suggests Trump's actions are an attack on America's character
Senate TV
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, one of the House impeachment managers, suggested President Trump’s actions involving Ukraine are an attack on America’s character.
In his opening argument, the New York Democrat detailed the Democrats’ evidence against the President.
“There’s a toxic mess at 1600 Pennsylvania avenue, and I humbly suggest that it’s our collective job on behalf of the American people to try to clean it up,” Jeffries said. “President Trump tried to cheat. He got caught, and then he worked hard to cover it up.”
He then went through a series of transformative events in American history, saying, “Whenever America has found itself in a tough spot, we always make it to the other side.”
Jeffries then posed the question of America’s character under Trump.
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Here's the Republicans' plan for the questioning part of the trial
From CNN's Lauren Fox and Ellie Kaufman
Sen.John Thune leaves the Senate floor for a dinner recess on Thursday, January 23.
Republican senators say they discussed the plan for the 16-hour Q&A session of the trial during their conference lunch today.
They said that a member of leadership in their caucus will likely review questions from Senators before sending them to Chief Justice Roberts to read during the trial. Senators Ernst and Braun said that if there are similar questions from multiple senators, they will likely be combined into one question presented to the Chief Justice. Ernst said that senators’ names will be attached to their questions when they are read.
Senate Majority Whip John Thune said the process will be similar to the process used in the Clinton trial.
This comes as we expect Democrats to prepare for the questions in much the same way with leadership condensing any redundant questions.
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Graham says he missed the airing of his 1999 comments because he's been "sick as a dog"
Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham missed the airing of his 1999 comments about impeachment at the trial this week because he said he was “sick as a dog.”
Asked about the video clip, which was aired Thursday during the Democrats’ opening remarks, Graham noted how much he’s aged since then, then reasserted that there’s no statutory crime in this case.
He said he wished he had been in the room to watch himself, but took frequent breaks because he’s been “sick as a dog…. I have spent more time in the bathroom than I normally do.”
About the video clip: House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler played the clip of Graham arguing that “high crimes” don’t “even need to be a crime,” a statement that runs counter to a central Republican talking point in President Trump’s impeachment trial.
Graham, a fierce Trump ally, was not on the Senate floor when the video played, but Republican Sen. Ben Sasse could be seen whispering something to him on his way back in, and Graham smiled.
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Jeffries: "The President tried to cheat. He got caught, and he worked hard to cover it up."
Senate TV
House manager Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic congressman from New York, claimed in his remarks that the President worked hard to hide his misconduct.
“The President tried to cheat. He got caught, and then he worked hard to cover it up,” he said.
Jeffries said that by July 2019, White House officials were aware of “serious allegations of misconduct by President Trump” regarding the withheld military aid to Ukraine. “But instead of halting the President’s corrupt scheme, they worked overtime to conceal it from the American people,” he said.
“As additional evidence mounted, the Republicans worked hard to keep the American people from learning about the president’s misconduct. Secretary of State Pompeo, Secretary of Defense Esper and John Bolton tried to convince President Trump to lift the hold on the security assistance. They failed.”
“The $391 million in security aid was only released because President Trump was caught red-handed,” he said.
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McConnell lays out what the next two days looks like
Mario Tama/Getty Images
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell went over scheduling details for today and tomorrow at the start of the impeachment trial.
Here’s what you can expect:
Today: The House managers will wrap up their opening remarks. Meanwhile, senators will take short breaks every two to three hours, he said. At some point, they’ll take a 30-minute recess for dinner if needed.
Tomorrow: The session will start at 10 a.m. ET and “run for several hours” as the President’s defense team lays our their opening arguments.
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Schiff: Chief Justice Roberts can decide executive privilege questions
From CNN's Haley Byrd and Manu Raju
Chief Justice Roberts
Senate Television via Getty Images
Rep. Adam Schiff pushed back on the GOP argument that claims of executive privilege could substantially delay the Senate impeachment trial if witnesses are called. Chief Justice John Roberts, he said, would be able to make decisions about evidence and privilege.
He continued: “We have a very capable justice, sitting in that Senate chamber, empowered by the Senate rules to decide issues of evidence and privilege. And so if any of these witnesses have a colorable claim that they wish to make or the President on their behalf, we have a justice who is able to make those determinations, and we trust that the Chief Justice can do so.”
“The Senate will always have the opportunity to overrule the justice,” Schiff added, “But what they fear, what the President’s team fears, is that the Justice will in fact apply executive privilege to that very narrow category where it may apply. And here, that category may be nowhere at all, because you cannot use executive privilege to hide wrongdoing or criminality or impeachable misconduct. And that is exactly the purpose for which they seek to use it.”
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The trial is back in session
The Senate just reconvened for the fourth day of the impeachment trial. The Democratic House impeachment managers will finish making their opening arguments, which they began giving on Wednesday.
After the Democrats finish, Trump’s legal team will be given the same amount of time — 24 hours over the course of three days — to make their case.
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Shorter session expected for impeachment trial on Saturday
From CNN's Ted Barrett
Republican Sen. John Thune told CNN that the Saturday session of the Senate’s impeachment trial is expected to go from 10 a.m. ET to around 1 p.m. ET.
CNN reported on Thursday that senators were considering this idea.
One thing to note: The President’s defense team will be delivering their opening statements that day.
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Here's who to watch during the witness debate (and it's not on-the-fence senators)
From CNN's Phil Mattingly
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
We’re still not sure if the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump will have witnesses: Senators can vote on motions to subpoena them after opening arguments.
At least 51 senators must vote in order to subpoena documents and witnesses. If all 47 senators who caucus with the Democrats vote for the motion, at least four Republican senators would need to join them in order to pass it.
What to watch in the coming days: Here’s a good rule of thumb on whether Democrats will have the votes to move to subpoena witnesses and documents — the leading indicator likely won’t be the on-the-fence GOP senators. It will likely be Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
If McConnell gets the sense he’s going to lose the vote on whether to consider witnesses, history would show he will move quickly to take control of the process and try and shift it toward his and his conference’s favor.
In this case, that would likely mean moving firmly behind Ted Cruz’s “reciprocity” idea, which would involve Republicans pursuing someone like Hunter Biden if Democrats pursue their preferred witnesses.
To be clear: McConnell isn’t even close to doing this right now (which is part of the reason Democrats don’t currently think they’ll win the vote). But if he starts heading in that direction, you can be sure he’s been told he’s going to lose more than three Republicans on the witness vote.
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Meanwhile, here are today’s top stories other than impeachment
Disinfectant is sprayed on a train as a precaution against the coronavirus in Seoul, South Korea, on January 24.
Ahn Young-joon/AP
President Trump’s impeachment trial continues in Washington today, but The Brief’s Bianca Nobilo has been keeping track of the day’s headlines outside Capitol Hill.
Here’s what you need to know:
China on lockdown: Beijing is struggling to contain Wuhan coronavirus. Travel restrictions have been placed on nearly a dozen cities across the country, affecting around 30 million people. Authorities have also closed major attractions to tourists, including parts of the Great Wall of China, in an effort to stem the infection’s spread.
Iraq protests: Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Baghdad on Friday, calling for US troops to leave the country. The march comes after a US attack in Iraq killed Iran’s most powerful general, Qassem Soleimani.
US refuses to extradite diplomat’s wife: Anne Sacoolas was charged in December with causing death by dangerous driving in the case of Harry Dunn. The British teenager was killed in August while riding a motorcycle. UK police say hewas hit by a vehicle traveling on the wrong side of the road. Washington declined Britain’s extradition request today, citing Sacoolas’ diplomatic status at the time of the crash.
Locusts in East Africa: The Horn of Africa has been hit by the worst invasion of desert locusts in 25 years. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization has warned that the insects could seriously threaten food security in the region. The last invasion of desert locusts in the area occurred in 2007, at a much smaller scale.
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Trump tweeted 54 times before noon today
From CNN's Allie Malloy
President Trump just sent his 54th tweet of the day. The large majority of the tweets and retweets today are on impeachment and criticizing Democrats.
Here’s the 11:56 a.m. ET tweet:
In his latest Trump writes, “ The Do Nothing Democrats just keep repeating and repeating, over and over again, the same old “stuff” on the Impeachment Hoax. They want to use up ALL of their time, even though it is the wrong thing to do. They ought to go back to work for our great American people!”
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Republican senator says he won't "prejudge" the need for witnesses
From CNN's Lauren Fox and Ellie Kaufman
Sen. Hoeven, left, and Sen. John Cornyn walk to the Senate chamber on January 23.
Steve Helber/AP
Senator John Hoeven, a Republican from North Dakota, said he will not “prejudge” anything about whether he would support additional witnesses before arguments have finished.
He added: “I’m not gonna prejudge that at this point. The House managers are presenting… now the administration will have the opportunity to present, we’ll listen to that. Then we have time for questions so senators can ask their questions.”
What this is about: At least 51 senators must vote in order to subpoena documents and witnesses. If all 47 senators who caucus with the Democrats vote for the motion, at least four Republican senators would need to join them in order to pass it.
At least three Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney — have suggested they’re open to considering witnesses.
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GOP senator says House managers are "very professional" but their argument is "mind-numbing"
From Haley Byrd, Holmes Lybrand and Suzanne Malveaux
Jose Luis Magana/AP
GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham said today that the House impeachment managers have been “very professional, very respectful” in presenting their case, despite a couple of “dust-ups” at the beginning of the trial.
But he criticized Democrats for being repetitive, saying the managers are “over-trying their case.”
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White House on witnesses: "It’s not the Senate’s job to clean up after what the House did"
From CNN's Allie Malloy
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham just appeared on Fox News and stuck to the same White House lines on the possibility of having witnesses at trial.
Grisham repeated that President Trump “would love” for witnesses to be called but quickly added: “Also you have to think about executive privilege… This President is actually trying to protect future presidents against this kind of abuse.”
She criticized Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who has repeatedly demanded witnesses, including at a news conference just moments ago. (You can read more on that in the post below this one.)
Some context: Many Republicans have argued that the House, which conducted the impeachment investigation, should have subpoenaed more witnesses before turning the articles of impeachment over to the House. House Democrats argue that with lengthy court battles over subpoenas, the process would have been drawn out until the 2020 election.
Grisham said she “hopes” the trial is over by next Friday. She wouldn’t get into the preparations the Trump legal team has made for their opening argument, but said, “They are very well prepared, and they have a very strong case.”
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Schumer: Witnesses decision "is on the shoulders of four Republican senators"
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asked his Republican colleagues to join Democrats in voting for witnesses and documents at the Senate trial.
At least 51 senators must vote in order to subpoena documents and witnesses. If all 47 senators who caucus with the Democrats vote for the motion, at least four Republican senators would need to join them in order to pass it.
“The bottom line: We’re seeking the truth at a momentous time in the American republic. It is on the shoulders of four Republican senators to join us in demanding it. We’ve made the argument forcefully,” Schumer said.
He continued:
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Schumer: Trump's lawyers "have their work cut out for them"
Jose Luis Magana/AP
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump’s defense lawyers “have their work cut out for them” following Democrats’ opening arguments.
Today is the last day for Democrats to make their opening arguments (they were allotted 24 hours over the course of three days.) When they’re done, the President’s legal team will get the same amount of time to make their case, although they are not required to use all of it.
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Here's what the House managers will focus on today
The final day of the House manager’s presentation today will focus on two things:
A full dive into the merits of the second article of impeachment — which is Obstruction of Congress
Their closing argument
They have almost eight hours to present their case today, although they don’t need to use all of it.
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Democrats have 7 hours and 53 minutes left to make their case
From CNN's Phil Mattingly
The impeachment managers, the House Democrats who are prosecuting the case against Trump, were given 24 hours over the course of three days to lay out their case.
When the trial resumes at 1 p.m., their last day of opening arguments begins. The House managers have 7 hours and 53 minutes remaining in their allotted presentation time.
Remember: They don’t have to use all of that time. When they’re done, the clock starts on Trump’s defense team, which also gets 24 hours over three days for opening arguments. They also don’t have to use all their time.
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Trump shrugged off impeachment as nothing compared to Watergate
From CNN's Kevin Liptak
President Trump in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21.
Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump sought to downplay his impeachment in a speech to Republican National Committee members last night in Florida, a person familiar with the remarks said.
Trump shrugged off the proceedings as “impeachment lite” and suggested it was nothing compared to Watergate. But he didn’t appear overly consumed by it, the source said.
The President is scheduled to speak at the annual March for Life in Washington, DC, today. It’s not clear if he’ll mention impeachment in his public speech.
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4 things to watch on the 4th day of the impeachment trial
From CNN's Phil Mattingly
Today is the House Democrat’s final of three days for opening arguments in the Senate impeachment trial.
Here’s what we’re watching today:
11 a.m. ET: For the past two days, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has held a news conference at this time to talk about the trial. He’s likely to do the same today.
11:40 a.m. ET: GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham, John Barrasso, Mike Bruan and Mike Lee will hold a news conference.
12:15 p.m. ET: President Trump will speak at the annual anti-abortion March for Life rally in Washington, DC. It’s not clear if he’ll bring up impeachment in his remarks.
1 p.m. ET: The Senate gavels into session for the fourth day of the impeachment trial.
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How the Senate could acquit Trump by the end of the month
From CNN's Ted Barrett, Phil Mattingly and Manu Raju
Two sources in communication with Majority Leader Mitch McConnell say he wants this trial done in about 10 days.
It’s possible the trial could wrap up that quickly — but there’s a big caveat here: Both sides, which get 24 hours over the course of three days each, can yield time back, so that could change the time frame.
And if there’s a majority vote to subpoena witnesses or documents, that could change things as well.
The Democrats had their first of three days of opening arguments on Wednesday, and they’re schedule to wrap up today. If all 24 hours allotted to each side for opening arguments are used, here’s how the schedule could play out:
Today: Democratic arguments
Tomorrow: Trump team arguments
Monday: Trump team arguments
Jan. 28: Trump team arguments
Jan. 29: Senator questions
Jan 30: Senator questions
Jan 31: Four hours of debate on whether to subpoena witnesses and subpoenas, a vote on witnesses and documents and a vote on other motions; If all votes fail, the Senate could move to the acquittal vote
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Why today is a big day for the Democrats
From CNN's Phil Mattingly
After two lengthy days, House Democratic managers, the prosecutors in the impeachment trial, will close their arguments today.
It won’t be the last time you hear from them, but it will be their final chance to present their unchallenged case to senators and the nation.
This is their closing shot — the last full opportunity to make their case not just for removal of the President, but to Republican senators who may be willing to vote in favor of considering subpoenas for witnesses and documents.
Here’s the bottom line: Twenty-four hours is an awful long time to present, and the Democratic case has been thorough, methodical, and relatively honest in where there are holes that can only be filled by those witnesses or documents. But this is the closer. Today matters. And the managers know it.
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Catch up: Here's what you missed yesterday in the impeachment trial
The opening arguments from the House managers continue later today in the impeachment trial of President Trump.
A lot has happened yesterday. Catch up on the most important developments below:
Democratic leader has sharp words for senators: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the case House managers are laying out bolsters the need to hear from witnesses at trial. “I don’t see how any senator, Democrat or Republican, could sit on the floor, listen to Adam Schiff and the House impeachment managers and not demand witnesses and documents,” Schumer said.
Possible change in schedule: Senators and aides in each party say there is an effort in the works to hold a short, morning-only impeachment trial session on Saturday to hear the beginning of the opening arguments from President Trump’s defense counsel and then allowing senators to leave town for the weekend. The plan is not finalized.
Collins anticipates a vote for witnesses: Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, reiterated to CNN that she anticipates she will vote for witnesses and documents. Fifty-one senators would need to vote to have witnesses at the trial. If all 47 senators who caucus with the Democrats vote to have witnesses, they still need four Republicans to join them.
Derek Jeter referenced: Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, one of the House impeachment managers, shared a lighthearted moment during the Democrats’ opening arguments when he joked about New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter being elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Democrat explained that he was stopped on his way to the office this morning by a fellow New Yorker who asked if he had heard about the “latest outrage” in Washington, DC.
Trump’s legal team prepares: The President’s legal team has been meeting at the White House every day around 11 a.m. ET since the trial started to go over what Democrats said the day before and to prep for their own opening statements, according to multiple people.