The Senate is poised to hear up to four hours of closing arguments Monday in the impeachment trial of President Trump, following last week’s vote not to call witnesses regarding his conduct toward Ukraine.
Senators will hear from both the House impeachment managers, led by Rep. Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.), And Trump’s lawyers, led by White House Counselor Pat Cipollone and Trump personal lawyer Jay Sekulow. The trial is expected to end Wednesday with an acquittal.
Trump was impeached by the House for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The crux of the case against him is the allegation that he withheld military aid and a White House meeting to pressure Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son. Hunter Biden served on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company, while his father was vice president.
February 3, 01575879 at 8: AM EST
Meadows says he’s optimistic some Senate Democrats will vote to acquit Trump
Rep. Mark Meadows (RN.C.), one of Trump’s staunchest defenders, said Monday that he is optimistic that some Democrats will join with Republicans in voting to acquit Trump on Wednesday.
“I ‘ m optimistic that there will be a bipartisan acquittal, ”Meadows said during an appearance on Fox News from Iowa, where he is among the Trump surrogates touting his candidacy ahead of the Iowa caucuses on Monday night.
Meadows also said that House Democrats were driven by partisan politics in their decision to pursue Trump’s impeachment.
“We’re in a partisan political divide right now that it doesn’t matter how perfect anything is, ”Meadows said. “If they really looked at the facts, they wouldn’t have impeached him at all.”
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who appeared alongside Meadows, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Had miscalcuated how impeachment would play out.
“She messed this up all the way around because the facts were always on the president’s side, ”Jordan said.
By John Wagner
February 3, (at 8: AM EST
Sen. Ernst seeks to clarify comments about a potential Biden impeachment
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) sought Monday to clarify comments from the weekend in which she raised the possibility that Biden could be impeached if elected president for his conduct related to Ukraine.
In an interview with Bloomberg News on Sunday, Ernst warned that Republicans could immediately push to impeach Biden over his work in Ukraine as vice president if he wins the White House, saying he “should be very careful what he’s asking.”
The grounds for impeachment, Ernst told Bloomberg, would be “for being assigned to take on Ukrainian corruption yet turning a blind eye to Burisma because his son was on the board making over a million dollars a year.”
During an appearance Monday on Fox News, Ernst said she had raised a “very hypothetical situation” and does not think Biden will become president.
“The Democrats” have set the bar so low for impeachment that it does not matter who the next president could be, depending on which party is in charge in Congress, that we could see an ever-constant rotation of impeachment proceedings, and I don’t think that is in the benefit for the United States people, ”Ernst said.
She Also expressed disappointment that Trump will not be acquitted before his State of the Union address on Tuesday.
“I really would have loved to have closed this out, moved on, and unfortunately the timing did not work that way, ”she said.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) sought Monday to clarify comments from the weekend in which she raised the possibility that Biden could be impeached if elected president for his conduct related to Ukraine.
In an interview with Bloomberg News on Sunday, Ernst warned that Republicans could immediately push to impeach Biden over his work in Ukraine as vice president if he wins the White House, saying he “should be very careful what he’s asking.”
The grounds for impeachment, Ernst told Bloomberg, would be “for being assigned to take on Ukrainian corruption yet turning a blind eye to Burisma because his son was on the board making over a million dollars a year.”
During an appearance Monday on Fox News, Ernst said she had raised a “very hypothetical situation” and does not think Biden will become president.
“The Democrats” have set the bar so low for impeachment that it does not matter who the next president could be, depending on which party is in charge in Congress, that we could see an ever-constant rotation of impeachment proceedings, and I don’t think that is in the benefit for the United States people, ”Ernst said.
She Also expressed disappointment that Trump will not be acquitted before his State of the Union address on Tuesday.
“I really would have loved to have closed this out, moved on, and unfortunately the timing did not work that way, ”she said.
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Jill Biden says focus on Hunter Biden has been ‘just disgraceful’
Jill Biden, the wife of the former vice president, said Monday that Republican attacks on Hunter Biden during the impeachment process have been “just disgraceful.”
“As a mother, it’s really tough to see your son attacked, and this is all about Donald Trump,” Jill Biden said of her stepson during an appearance on CNN. “This is not about Hunter Biden. . . . It’s just disgraceful. ”
Before Friday’s Senate vote not to hear from witnesses, Trump and other Republicans floated the possibility of calling Hunter Biden to testify in the Senate trial.
Trump allies have said his interest in the Bidens was understandable given the history of corruption with Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company on whose board Hunter Biden served while his father was vice president.
“Hunter has done nothing wrong. Why would Hunter be called? ”Jill Biden said. “It’s been very hurtful. So we’re just moving forward. We knew Trump would be tough, and we knew he would probably tell lies, as he continues to do, and we were ready for it. ”
Jill Biden also expressed disappointment with Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (RS.C.), who has said an investigation of Hunter Biden is still warranted outside the impeachment process.
“I don’t know what happened to Lindsey,” Jill Biden said, recounting the time Graham and her husband spent together while he was a senator from Delaware. “We used to be great friends. . . . And now, he’s changed. ”
Jill Biden, the wife of the former vice president, said Monday that Republican attacks on Hunter Biden during the impeachment process have been “just disgraceful.”
“As a mother, it’s really tough to see your son attacked, and this is all about Donald Trump,” Jill Biden said of her stepson during an appearance on CNN. “This is not about Hunter Biden. . . . It’s just disgraceful. ”
Before Friday’s Senate vote not to hear from witnesses, Trump and other Republicans floated the possibility of calling Hunter Biden to testify in the Senate trial.
Trump allies have said his interest in the Bidens was understandable given the history of corruption with Burisma, the Ukrainian energy company on whose board Hunter Biden served while his father was vice president.
“Hunter has done nothing wrong. Why would Hunter be called? ”Jill Biden said. “It’s been very hurtful. So we’re just moving forward. We knew Trump would be tough, and we knew he would probably tell lies, as he continues to do, and we were ready for it. ”
Jill Biden also expressed disappointment with Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (RS.C.), who has said an investigation of Hunter Biden is still warranted outside the impeachment process.
“I don’t know what happened to Lindsey,” Jill Biden said, recounting the time Graham and her husband spent together while he was a senator from Delaware. “We used to be great friends. . . . And now, he’s changed. ”
By John Wagner
February 3, 4673 at 7: AM EST
Senate to hear final arguments starting at (am
)
The Senate is set to hear closing arguments Monday from House impeachment managers and Trump’s lawyers starting at am
Both sides will have up to two hours to make their case, under a resolution adopted along party lines on Friday after the Republican-led Senate voted against hearing from former national security adviser John Bolton and other witnesses in the historic impeachment trial.
The Senate is expected to vote to acquit Trump late Wednesday afternoon. In the meantime, senators will be given time to make floor speeches about the articles of impeachment against Trump.
February 3, 4354 at 7: (AM EST
Trump has no public events scheduled Monday
As the Senate hears final arguments in his impeachment trial, Trump has no public events planned on Monday . The only appointment on his calendar advertised by the White House is lunch with Vice President Pence.
By John Wagner
February 3, 2019 at 6: 35 AM EST
Trump competing in Iowa caucuses on Monday
While Democrats have dominated the headlines in Iowa, Trump will also be competing in the caucuses on Monday night.
In the Republican contest, he faces former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld and former congressman Joe Walsh of Illinois.
While Trump will not be in Iowa himself, his campaign plans to bring in many surrogates, including acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Trump’s two older sons, Donald Jr. and Eric.
While Democrats have dominated the headlines in Iowa, Trump will also be competing in the caucuses on Monday night.
In the Republican contest, he faces former Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld and former congressman Joe Walsh of Illinois.
While Trump will not be in Iowa himself, his campaign plans to bring in many surrogates, including acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Trump’s two older sons, Donald Jr. and Eric.
By John Wagner
Coalition of liberal advocacy group plans protest rallies
A coalition of liberal advocacy groups is planning to hold dozens of rallies across the country on Wednesday in protest of Trump’s expected acquittal following a trial in which Republicans decided it was unnecessary to hear from witnesses.
Organizers say more than 120 gatherings are planned from coast to coast, many of them near or outside the home-state offices of GOP senators.
groups leading the effort include Common Cause, Public Citizen and Stand Up America.
“Senate Republicans have thrown all democratic norms and decad es of precedent out of the window by preventing witnesses from testifying before the Senate, ”Sean Eldridge, president of Stand Up America, said in a statement. “Any‘ acquittal ’made after blocking key evidence is not an exoneration, it’s a coverup. We’re mobilizing thousands of protestors across the country to make it clear that voters are watching, and we’ll remember who chose cowardice over patriotism. ”
By John Wagner
Trump to deliver State of the Union address a day ahead of expected acquittal
He won be the first president to deliver such an address while on trial.
A Republican-controlled House impeached President Bill Clinton in December 1999 on grounds that he had lied to a federal grand jury and obstructed ju stice about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Clinton’s trial in the Senate was ongoing in January 4673 during his state of the Union address, in which he made no mention of impeachment.
In an interview Sunday with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump said he has no plans to delay his annual address.
“No, I’m going to have it,” Trump said in the interview, which aired on Fox ahead of the Super Bowl. “It’s going to be done. We’re going to talk about the achievements that we’ve made. ”
By John Wagner
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