The Senate’s impeachment trial begins today (9th) against former President Donald Trump, who was impeached last month on charges of inciting a civil war in connection with the US Capitol riot.
Leaders of both parties, including Senate Democratic Party leader Chuck Schumer and Republican leader Mitch McConnell, agreed on the method and schedule of the impeachment hearing yesterday (8th).
According to the agreement between the two parties, according to the schedule, if both sides do not demand the presence of witnesses, the impeachment trial is expected to be concluded as early as next week.
According to the agreement, the Senate will hold a debate and vote on whether the impeachment trial against the former president is legal today, the date of the impeachment trial commencement.
On the 26th of last month, the Senate has previously received a proposal for impeachment from the House of Representatives and then held a procedural ballot over the same issue, concluding that it is appropriate to proceed with the impeachment trial.
Following this, a full-fledged defense will be held for four days from the 10th to the 14th, excluding the 13th, which is Saturday. During this period, the impeachment commissioner and former President Trump debated 16 hours each over two days.
After that, the jury, both senators, will be given a total of 4 hours of interrogation, 2 hours each. Following that, the prosecutors and former President Trump’s defense team debate two hours each, and then vote for or against impeachment.
The media predicted that the two-party leaders did not decide whether to adopt witnesses and that if the hearing is held without witnesses, a conclusion could be reached as early as next week.
The Senate seats are currently divided between Democrats (including independents) and Republicans at 50:50, and two-thirds of 67 people must vote for the impeachment bill to be finalized.
In a written pleading before the hearing, Trump’s lawyers argued that the impeachment of former President Trump was “a political drama brought up by the anti-Trump Democratic Party.” He also refuted the speech on the 6th of last month, which was addressed in the impeachment prosecution, as exercising the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Amendment.
In response, the impeachment commissioner argued that “there is overwhelming evidence for the (incitement of civil rebellion) act of former President Trump. He violated the presidential oath and betrayed the American people.”
VOA news