Donald Trump impeachment trial: public senators called for courage

"You should want the whole truth out." The elected democrat Adam Schiff, who leads the accusation, called, Wednesday, January 22, the republican members of the American Senate to have the "courage" to "seek the truth" in the trial for the dismissal of Donald Trump. He is accused of having wanted to "cheat" to win a second term in the White House.

Assisted by six colleagues, Adam Schiff returned to the two charges brought on December 18 against the tenant of the White House: abuse of power and obstruction of the work of Congress.

>> Procedure for removing Donald Trump: the Senate enters the picture

After a first day marathon which set the framework for this extraordinary trial, the hundred senators listened for almost nine hours in the utmost silence to the prosecutors resume the history of this case.

They notably relied on numerous extracts from the testimony of members of the government before the parliamentary committee in the House of Representatives in November.

Americans know about Trump's Ukraine scheme because people with a sense of duty were willing to step forward and speak out.

People like Ambassadors Yovanovitch and Taylor, Lt. Col. Vindman, Dr. Hill.

They were willing to risk their careers. Can Members of Congress do the same? pic.twitter.com/ac3WvdYULR

"They risked everything, their careers. I know that what you are asked can also put yours in danger. But if they were courageous, we can too," said Adam Schiff at the address. of the 53 Republicans, who have so far been behind Donald Trump.

He called on them "to find out the whole truth about the extent of this corruption, because I think the public has the right to know".

"In the United States, no one is above the law, not even the president"

Donald Trump "lobbied Ukraine to announce investigations" that could serve his re-election campaign, one of which was aimed at "sullying" one of his potential rivals, Democrat Joe Biden, attacked the former prosecutor.

To achieve his ends, "in other words to cheat", the president notably "frozen hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to a strategic ally at war with Russia," he continued. Once his actions were made public, he "used his powers" to block the Chamber's investigation, said the expert, who oversaw the investigations.

"In the United States, no one is above the law, not even the president," lambasted Hakeem Jeffries, a lawyer by profession and a member of the prosecution.

From Switzerland, where he attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Donald Trump is again the victim of a "set-up" orchestrated by the Democratic opposition. The 73-year-old president assured that he would have "loved" to attend the debates, but that his lawyers were not favorable. He sent a deluge of messages - at least 150 - from his Twitter account, ridiculing his opponents or touting his record.

Their case was so “overwhelming” in the House that they need & demand Witnesses in the Senate! https://t.co/XuOMzYSnwv

Donald Trump is the third President in the history of the United States to suffer the stigma associated with a dismissal trial, after Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1999. Like them, he should be acquitted, thanks to the support of his Republican majority.

Despite everything, the 47 elected members of the democratic group hope to convince public opinion that the former real estate tycoon has "violated his oath" of president. Prosecutors have twenty-four hours to do this, spread over three days.

A first vote expected at the end of next week

Thursday, they will examine from 1 p.m. (6 p.m. GMT) on the constitutional framework of this trial and Friday, on the conduct of the president who led him to be indicted.

On Saturday, the defense will have the same duration. "The Constitution protects the privileges of the executive and there is a reason for it," assured personal attorney Jay Sekulow on Wednesday, who denounced a trial "ridiculous" and "dangerous for the Republic" a few months of the presidential election.

The senators, who serve as jurors, will then have 16 hours to ask their questions, in writing. In the meantime, they must remain screwed in their seats without speaking, or consulting their telephone or computer, electronic equipment being prohibited in the hemicycle. This strict framework aims to ensure the dignity of the debates, even if the spirits had already heated Tuesday.

>> See: In the United States, a brief history of Johnson's impeachment to Trump

"The way things are said is sometimes as important as what is said," Senate chaplain Barry Black said in his daily sermon on Wednesday.

A first vote is expected at the end of next week: senators will have to decide if they agree to call new witnesses, as demanded by the Democratic camp. For this, four Republicans will have to break ranks, which seems difficult.

The Democrats have also refused Wednesday a "market" proposed by several Republicans: the hearing of a witness for the prosecution against that of Joe Biden's son, Hunter, targeted for inquiries by President Trump.

Elected officials could then quickly vote on the guilt of Donald Trump. The Constitution requires a two-thirds majority to remove a president, a threshold that is a priori unattainable.

With AFP

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