On Day 2 of US President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial by the US Senate which lasted 13 hours, the Democrat House managers started their case against the president, arguing why he should be removed from office .
Trump is being tried in the Senate for allegations brought by the House that he abused his office and obstructed justice by withholding military aid to Ukraine in exchange for investigation by the Ukrainian government into his political rival, Joe Biden.
Adam Schiff, the leader of the House Managers, prosecuting the House Of Reps impeachment articles against Trump, said the impeachment case “paints an overwhelming and damning picture of the president’s efforts to use the powers of his office to corruptly solicit foreign help in his re-election campaign and withhold official acts and military aid to compel that support.”
Schiff on Wednesday night slammed suggestions that Democrats would cut a deal to get witnesses they want to testify in the trial, like former national security adviser John Bolton, by agreeing to let Republicans call witnesses like the Bidens.
“This isn’t like some fantasy football trade,” Schiff said. “Trials aren’t trades for witnesses.”
‘We can and will prove President Trump guilty of this conduct and of obstructing the investigation into his misconduct,” said Schiff.
“But you and the American people should know who else was involved in this scheme … You should want to know about every player in this sordid business.
Schiff after making his points was followed by Reps. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., and Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, who accused Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani’s of organising a smear campaign against then-U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.
According to the House managers, Marie was viewed as a roadblock to Giuliani’s effort to dig up dirt on former vice president Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden who was on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.
Democrats have 24 hours over three days to make their case, and then Trump’s legal team will have 24 hours to make their case over three days.
It is expected that Trump will be discharged and acquitted by the Republican controlled senate, and remain president.
