We finally break the deadlock. Friday, the patron saint of Democrats in the House gave the green light to send impeachment articles targeting Donald Trump to the Senate next week. The trial of the American president should therefore begin immediately, and probably last several weeks. Donald Trump should escape impeachment, protected by the Republican majority in the Senate. But the battle to hear key witnesses like ex-White House adviser John Bolton promises to be fierce.
Democrats are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to decide what to do next. They still have to choose half a dozen "House managers" who will play the role of prosecutors, and vote to send the two impeachment articles targeting Trump for "abuse of power" and "obstruction of Congress" to the Senate.
The rules decided later by a vote
On paper, the leader of the Republicans in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, was successful: the trial will start without his having promised to allow the hearing of new witnesses. But playing the clock, Nancy Pelosi managed to put pressure on the Senate, and John Bolton announced to everyone's surprise that he was willing to testify if summoned.
A simple majority vote is enough to establish the rules of the trial. With 47 votes out of 100, the Democrats will therefore need the help of four Republicans to succeed. "Of course I want to hear John Bolton," said Mitt Romney, who doesn't really carry Donald Trump in his heart. Two other moderate senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, who had voted with the Democrats to save Barack Obama's health care reform, also seem open to this possibility. In the event of a 50-50 tie, the head of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, who will preside over the proceedings, will be called upon to decide.
John Bolton, key witness
The Democrats had asked to hear John Bolton and Donald Trump's chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, during hearings before the House, but the White House had blocked their testimony. Central witness to the Ukrainian affair, John Bolton had distanced himself from blocking military aid to Ukraine before being sacked for his differences with Donald Trump, particularly over North Korea.
According to the testimony of his former assistant Fiona Hill, Bolton had notably slammed the door of a meeting, indicating that he did not want to take part in a "scheming", and qualified Donald Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, as "disguised grenade" . John Bolton "has relevant information," said his lawyer, without giving further details. Surprises are not excluded.
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All you need to know about the future trial of Donald Trump
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