This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2020/jan/22/donald-trump-impeachment-trial-news-today-senate-live

The article has changed 28 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 12 Version 13
Trump impeachment: House managers argue for removal of president – live Trump impeachment: House managers argue for removal of president – live
(32 minutes later)
House impeachment managers have 24 hours, spread over three days, to make their case before focus shifts to Trump’s legal teamHouse impeachment managers have 24 hours, spread over three days, to make their case before focus shifts to Trump’s legal team
Speaking on the Senate floor, impeachment manager Jerry Nadler incorporated tweets from Trump and his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, to argue the president and his allies participated in a “smear campaign” against Maria Yovanovitch, the former US ambassador to Ukraine.
During the recess, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer spoke to reporters and praised the performance of lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff.
Schumer also dismissed the possibility of “trading” the testimony of Hunter Biden, the former vice president’s son, for the testimony of John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser.
“I think it’s off the table,” Schumer said when asked about the potential witness swap.
The recess has ended, and impeachment manager Jerry Nadler, the chairman of the House judiciary committee, has taken the Senate floor to continue presenting his side’s opening arguments.
Outrage over Trump downplaying troop injuries
While there’s a brief recess in the impeachment trial, we can bring you the development that a leading New York expert in traumatic brain injuries has criticized Donald Trump for downplaying the injuries suffered by US military personnel in Iraq during Iran’s missile attacks on bases where they were stationed earlier this month.
Michael Kaplen, chair of the New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council and past president of the Brain Injury Association of New York State said that he was “shocked at the ignorant statement” made by Trump at a press conference earlier today discussing traumatic brain injuries.
Though Trump initially said no US troops were harmed in the 8 January attack on two Iraqi bases housing them, the Pentagon announced last week that 11 service members had been flown to medical hospitals in Germany and Kuwait to be “treated for concussion symptoms from the blast”, my Middle East correspondent colleague Michael Safi reports.
Asked about the discrepancy on Wednesday, Trump said he learned about the injuries “numerous days later”.
“I heard that they had headaches and a couple of other things, but I would say and I can report it is not very serious,” he told a news conference in Davos, Switzerland. “I don’t consider them very serious injuries relative to other injuries I have seen.”
But Kaplen vigorously disagreed.
“To equate traumatic brain injuries as just a headache is insulting and disrespectful to the thousands of military service members suffering from the signature wound of the Iraq/Afghanistan conflict,” he said.
He added that the condition, also known as TBI, is a “life altering” injury.
“It’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral consequences affect every aspect of an individual’s life,” he said. “A brain injury is only ‘mild’ if it is someone else’s brain. There is nothing “mild” about a mild brain injury.”
Lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff has concluded his presentation after speaking on the Senate floor for about two and a half hours.Lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff has concluded his presentation after speaking on the Senate floor for about two and a half hours.
Once Schiff stepped away from the podium, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell called for a roughly 20-minute recess.Once Schiff stepped away from the podium, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell called for a roughly 20-minute recess.
Schiff concluded his presentation by quoting the oft-repeated line from Benjamin Franklin. On the final day of the 1787 constitutional convention, Franklin was asked whether America would have a monarchy or a republic. “A republic, if you can keep it,” Franklin replied.Schiff concluded his presentation by quoting the oft-repeated line from Benjamin Franklin. On the final day of the 1787 constitutional convention, Franklin was asked whether America would have a monarchy or a republic. “A republic, if you can keep it,” Franklin replied.
It appears Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell is ready for lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff to wrap up his presentation.It appears Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell is ready for lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff to wrap up his presentation.
Schiff said several minutes ago that 10 minutes remained in his presentation. “So the end is in sight,” he added.Schiff said several minutes ago that 10 minutes remained in his presentation. “So the end is in sight,” he added.
As lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff neared the end of his two-hour presentation, the House intelligence committee chairman laid out what he believes is at stake in the Senate trial.As lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff neared the end of his two-hour presentation, the House intelligence committee chairman laid out what he believes is at stake in the Senate trial.
Schiff pointed to the rise of autocratic leaders around the world to argue that democracy is not “immutable” and that Americans must fight to defend their system of government.Schiff pointed to the rise of autocratic leaders around the world to argue that democracy is not “immutable” and that Americans must fight to defend their system of government.
“There’s nothing immutable about this,” Schiff said. “Every generation has to fight for it. We’re fighting for it right now. There’s no guarantee that this democracy that has served us so well will continue to prosper.”“There’s nothing immutable about this,” Schiff said. “Every generation has to fight for it. We’re fighting for it right now. There’s no guarantee that this democracy that has served us so well will continue to prosper.”
Lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff has been speaking on the Senate floor for more than two hours, and the congressman just said he still has 10 minutes to go, at which point the Senate will likely call a brief recess.Lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff has been speaking on the Senate floor for more than two hours, and the congressman just said he still has 10 minutes to go, at which point the Senate will likely call a brief recess.
Schiff said each of the other House impeachment managers -- Jerry Nadler, Zoe Lofgren, Hakeem Jeffries, Val Demings, Jason Crow and Sylvia Garcia -- would present part of the team’s opening arguments.Schiff said each of the other House impeachment managers -- Jerry Nadler, Zoe Lofgren, Hakeem Jeffries, Val Demings, Jason Crow and Sylvia Garcia -- would present part of the team’s opening arguments.
The president, who is traveling back to Washington from the World Economic Forum in Davos, appears to be watching the Senate impeachment trial from Air Force One.The president, who is traveling back to Washington from the World Economic Forum in Davos, appears to be watching the Senate impeachment trial from Air Force One.
Trump told CNBC earlier today that he managed to watch some of the proceedings yesterday.Trump told CNBC earlier today that he managed to watch some of the proceedings yesterday.
“I had a busy day yesterday, as you know,” Trump said. “But I did get to see some of it. It’s a hoax. It’s a total hoax.”“I had a busy day yesterday, as you know,” Trump said. “But I did get to see some of it. It’s a hoax. It’s a total hoax.”
Lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff made clear that Americans should not “get over” how the Trump administration allowed political calculations to affect foreign policy, as acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney argued in October.Lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff made clear that Americans should not “get over” how the Trump administration allowed political calculations to affect foreign policy, as acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney argued in October.
The latest clip that lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff played on the Senate floor included Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, acknowledging a quid pro quo in connection to the freeze on Ukraine’s military assistance.The latest clip that lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff played on the Senate floor included Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, acknowledging a quid pro quo in connection to the freeze on Ukraine’s military assistance.
“The look back to what happened in 2016 certainly was part of the thing that he was worried about in corruption with that nation,” Mulvaney said in October.“The look back to what happened in 2016 certainly was part of the thing that he was worried about in corruption with that nation,” Mulvaney said in October.
“Did he also mention to me in the past the corruption that related to the DNC server? Absolutely, no question about that,” Mulvaney continued. “But that’s it. That’s why we held up the money.”“Did he also mention to me in the past the corruption that related to the DNC server? Absolutely, no question about that,” Mulvaney continued. “But that’s it. That’s why we held up the money.”
Asked about the concern that political calculations were affecting foreign policy, Mulvaney told White House reporters, “We do that all the time with foreign policy … I have news for everybody. Get over it. There is going to be political influence in foreign policy. Elections have consequences.”Asked about the concern that political calculations were affecting foreign policy, Mulvaney told White House reporters, “We do that all the time with foreign policy … I have news for everybody. Get over it. There is going to be political influence in foreign policy. Elections have consequences.”
Lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff is still speaking on the Senate floor, delivering his team’s opening arguments for why Trump should be removed from office.Lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff is still speaking on the Senate floor, delivering his team’s opening arguments for why Trump should be removed from office.
The California Democrat argued Trump’s misconduct stretched far beyond his July call to the Ukrainian president to include his efforts before and after the call to push for investigations into his political enemies.The California Democrat argued Trump’s misconduct stretched far beyond his July call to the Ukrainian president to include his efforts before and after the call to push for investigations into his political enemies.
As opening arguments continue, congressional reporters have raised additional concerns about the press restrictions imposed during the impeachment trial.As opening arguments continue, congressional reporters have raised additional concerns about the press restrictions imposed during the impeachment trial.
Reporters on Capitol Hill are generally allowed relatively free rein, giving them many opportunities to pose questions to lawmakers in hallways, but the restrictions have made that more difficult.Reporters on Capitol Hill are generally allowed relatively free rein, giving them many opportunities to pose questions to lawmakers in hallways, but the restrictions have made that more difficult.
Like yesterday, lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff is playing clips of Trump that he says proves the president’s abuse of power.Like yesterday, lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff is playing clips of Trump that he says proves the president’s abuse of power.
One of the clips that Schiff just played was this interview Trump gave on the White House lawn in October:One of the clips that Schiff just played was this interview Trump gave on the White House lawn in October:
“If they were honest about it, they would start a major investigation into the Bidens,” Trump said at the time, when asked what he wanted the Ukrainian president to do.“If they were honest about it, they would start a major investigation into the Bidens,” Trump said at the time, when asked what he wanted the Ukrainian president to do.
“I would say President Zelenskiy, if it was me, I would start an investigation into the Bidens.”“I would say President Zelenskiy, if it was me, I would start an investigation into the Bidens.”
Inside the Senate chamber, congressional reporters said senators looked visibly exhausted as they heard the House impeachment managers present their opening arguments.Inside the Senate chamber, congressional reporters said senators looked visibly exhausted as they heard the House impeachment managers present their opening arguments.
Yesterday’s debate over the impeachment trial rules stretched past 2 a.m. ET, and senators were back on Capitol Hill this morning.Yesterday’s debate over the impeachment trial rules stretched past 2 a.m. ET, and senators were back on Capitol Hill this morning.