WASHINGTON: The first day of President Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate stretched from midday Tuesday into the wee hours of Wednesday. It featured contentious exchanges between House managers acting as the prosecution and the White House legal team, with senators voting almost entirely along party lines to reject Democratic efforts to subpoena new witnesses.
Increasingly restless senators sat silently as impeachment managers and White House lawyers clashed over 11 amendments to a resolution setting the trial’s rules. It was proposed by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican and strong ally of the president.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is presiding over the trial, just the third of its type in U.S. history.
Democrats accuse Republicans of covering up a scheme by Mr. Trump to pressure Ukraine to benefit him politically, while Republicans argue Democrats should have challenged the White House in the courts to obtain the testimony and records they’re now seeking.
The McConnell resolution delays votes on subpoenaing witnesses and documents until both sides finish presenting their opening arguments. A simple majority of senators — 51 votes— is needed to approve the resolution, amendments and other motions. There are 53 Republicans in the Senate and 47 Democrats, including two independents.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, offered a series of amendments to subpoena White House and administration officials, an effort that was doomed to fail after the first amendment was rejected in a straight party line vote of 53 to 47.
Nonetheless, ten more amendments were proposed as the session progressed. All were tabled, all but one with party line votes. Maine Republican Susan Collins sided with Democrats on one measure.
Finally, nearly 13 hours after the opening gavel, the Senate adjourned until 1 p.m. Wednesday.
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