WASHINGTON — The Senate formally opened the impeachment trial of President Donald J. Trump on Thursday, as senators accepted the promise to ship “n
WASHINGTON — The Senate formally opened the impeachment trial of President Donald J. Trump on Thursday, as senators accepted the promise to ship “neutral justice” and put in Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. because the presiding officer.
In a somber ceremony that has solely occurred twice earlier than within the nation’s historical past, Chief Justice Roberts vowed to conduct Mr. Trump’s impeachment trial “in line with the Structure and the legal guidelines.” He then administered the identical, 222-year-old oath of impartiality and adherence to the Structure to the senators, setting in movement the ultimate step in a bitter and divisive effort by the president’s adversaries to take away him from workplace.
Even because the antiquated ritual unfolded, with senators signing their names one after the other in an oath guide close to the marble Senate rostrum, new proof was trickling out about Mr. Trump’s strain marketing campaign on Ukraine that’s on the coronary heart of the costs in opposition to him.
A trove of newly launched textual content messages, voice mail messages, calendar entries and different data handed over by Lev Parnas, an affiliate of Rudolph W. Giuliani, the president’s private lawyer, provided recent element concerning the scheme. And the Authorities Accountability Workplace, a nonpartisan federal watchdog, discovered that Mr. Trump’s choice to withhold almost $400 million in navy help from Ukraine was an unlawful breach of a legislation that limits a president’s energy to dam the spending of cash allotted by Congress.
Two hours earlier than the oath-taking on the Senate flooring, seven Home members made a solemn march to the chamber to learn aloud the costs in opposition to Mr. Trump. His phrases echoing from the nicely of the Senate, Consultant Adam B. Schiff of California accused the president of abusing the ability of his workplace and obstructing Congress by trying to cowl up his actions.
“President Trump,” Mr. Schiff stated, “warrants impeachment and trial, elimination from workplace, and disqualification to carry and revel in any workplace of honor, belief, or revenue below the US.”
The fees detailed the case in opposition to the president: that Mr. Trump pressured Ukraine for investigations into his political rivals, withholding $391 million in navy help as leverage, and that he obstructed Congress by blocking the inquiry into his conduct.
The proof offered by Mr. Parnas provides vital new element to the general public report about how the strain marketing campaign performed out. On Wednesday, Mr. Parnas told The New York Times that he believed Mr. Trump knew concerning the efforts to dig up filth on his political rivals.
Simply hours earlier than the formal begin of the trial, the G.A. O. stated the choice by the White Home Workplace of Administration and Finances to withhold the help violated the Impoundment Management Act, concluding that “trustworthy execution of the legislation doesn’t allow the president to substitute his personal coverage priorities for people who Congress has enacted into legislation.” Mr. Trump directed the freeze on the Ukraine aid, and administration officers testified in the course of the course of the impeachment inquiry that that they had repeatedly warned that doing so may violate the legislation, however their considerations weren’t heeded.
Aides stated President Trump was not watching the ceremonial occasions on tv because the trial acquired underway. However Stephanie Grisham, the White Home press secretary, stated the president anticipated Mr. Trump’s formal response to the impeachment fees would show he did nothing incorrect, and she or he dismissed the stream of new details rising concerning the Ukraine strain marketing campaign.
“We’re not too involved about it. As soon as once more, we all know that every little thing within the Senate goes to be truthful,” Ms. Grisham informed Fox Information on Thursday.