On Day 2 of US President Donald Trump's impeachment trial by
the US Senate which lasted 13 hours, the Democrat House managers started their
case against the president, arguing why he should be removed from office .
Trump is being tried in the Senate for allegations brought
by the House that he abused his office and obstructed justice by withholding
military aid to Ukraine in exchange for investigation by the Ukrainian
government into his political rival, Joe Biden.
Adam Schiff, the leader of the House Managers, prosecuting
the House Of Reps impeachment articles against Trump, said the impeachment
case "paints an overwhelming and
damning picture of the president's efforts to use the powers of his office to
corruptly solicit foreign help in his re-election campaign and withhold
official acts and military aid to compel that support."
Schiff on Wednesday night slammed suggestions that Democrats
would cut a deal to get witnesses they want to testify in the trial, like
former national security adviser John Bolton, by agreeing to let Republicans
call witnesses like the Bidens.
"This isn't like some fantasy football trade,"
Schiff said. "Trials aren't trades for witnesses."
'We can and will prove President Trump guilty of this
conduct and of obstructing the investigation into his misconduct," said
Schiff.
"But you and the American people should know who else
was involved in this scheme ... You should want to know about every player in
this sordid business.
Schiff after making his points was followed by Reps. Jerry
Nadler, D-N.Y., and Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, who accused Trump lawyer Rudy
Giuliani's of organising a smear campaign against then-U.S. ambassador to
Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.
According to the House managers, Marie was viewed as a
roadblock to Giuliani's effort to dig up dirt on former vice president Joe
Biden and his son, Hunter Biden who was on the board of a Ukrainian gas
company.
Democrats have 24 hours over three days to make their case,
and then Trump's legal team will have 24 hours to make their case over three
days.
It is expected that Trump will be discharged and acquitted
by the Republican controlled senate, and remain president.
