Accra, Jan. 21, (UPI/GNA) - The main stage of the Senate impeachment trial is set to begin on Tuesday afternoon, when lawmakers in the upper chamber would convene to sit in judgement on President Donald Trump.
The meeting would decide whether President Trump abused his power and interfered in the congressional investigation.
The process will begin with the House's rebuttal to Trump's trial brief before the Senate reconvenes. At 1 p.m., the Senate will sit for the impeachment proceedings, starting with a discussion of a resolution setting the rules for the trial before opening arguments.
Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer has said he will seek to force votes on witnesses during this session. Senators are expected to settle the issue of witnesses and the entering of evidence from the House impeachment proceedings at some point during the sessions this week.
The bulk of Tuesday is expected to be spend on establishing the rules of the trial, with opening arguments coming Wednesday.
The trial will last for six days per week, from Monday through Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. and ending from 5 and 6 p.m., through the end of the trial. Tuesday's session is scheduled through 6 p.m., but both sides have said they expect the initial sessions to run long.
The Senate will come into session at noon each trial day with time for leadership remarks and potential legislative action before trial preparation begins.
The schedule for the rest of the trial will be officially determined during Tuesday's session. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell issued a blueprint for the rules on Monday night. It gives House Democrats and Trump's legal team each 24 hours over two days to make their opening arguments.
Senators would then be given 16 hours to submit questions in writing to Chief Justice John Roberts, who will preside over the trial. He and every senator, who will act as jurors for the trial, were sworn in last week.
McConnell has said he will seek to have the trial follow the same structure as that of former President Bill Clinton's, but the majority leader's outline indicates Republicans want to fast track the trial.
Schumer criticized McConnell's outline, saying it's an attempt to "conceal" Trump's misconduct "in the dark of night."
"It's clear Sen. McConnell is hell-bent on making it much more difficult to get witnesses and documents and intent on rushing the trial through," he said. "On something as important as impeachment, Senator McConnell's resolution is nothing short of a national disgrace."
Schumer and House Democrats held onto the articles of impeachment for three weeks in an effort to secure assurances the trial would be fair. They want the proceedings to include key administration witnesses and new evidence that has emerged since the House impeached Trump in mid-December.
A few "swing" Republicans in the upper chamber have indicated an openness to include witnesses.
"Overall, it aligns closely with the [Clinton] rules package," said Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, the only senator who's said he wants to hear from former national security adviser John Bolton. "If attempts are made to vote on witnesses prior to opening arguments, I would oppose those efforts
GNA
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