ThehistoricimpeachmenttrialofUSPresidentDonaldTrumpopenedwithfireworksTuesdayasDemocratsangrilyaccusedSenateRepublicansofseekinga"cover-up"withoutwitnessesornewevidence.
WiththeUSleaderfacingpotentialremovalfromofficeforabuseofpower,hiscloseallyMitchMcConnelllaidoutgroundrulesthatwouldblocksubpoenaingkeywitnessesordocumentswhileeachsidemakesitscase--potentiallycripplingprosecutors'arguments.
Flexinghissolid53-47majority,theRepublicanSenateleaderalsomadeclearhewouldsummarilyblockanyDemocraticattemptstochangehisrules.
"Thebasicstructurewe'reproposingisjustaseminentlyfairandeven-handed,"McConnellsaid.
AdamSchiff,theleaderoftheHouseimpeachmentmanagersprosecutingTrump,counteredthattheprocess"makesnosense"foratrial,andwasdesignedinsteadtoensureevidenceisneverheardandTrumpisexculpated.
McConnell'srulesaimtomakethecase"goawayasquicklyaspossibletocoveruphismisdeeds,"SchiffsaidinhisopeningpresentationontheSenatefloor.
"It'scompletelybackwards,trialbeforeevidence,"hesaid.
"MostAmericansdon'tbelievetherewillbeafairtrial."
TrumpwasimpeachedonDecember18bytheHouseofRepresentatives,andformallychargedontheflooroftheSenatelastweekwithabuseofpowerandobstructionofCongress.
ItisonlythethirdtimeaUSpresidenthasenduredanimpeachmenttrial,afterBillClintonin1999andAndrewJohnsonin1868.
Likehistwopredecessors,TrumplooksalmostcertaintobeacquittedbytheSenateRepublicanmajorityinatrialthatcouldbeasshortastwoweeks.
Showingsomecompromise,McConnell'sinitialdraftwasmodifiedatthelastminute,allowing24hoursofargumentsbyeachsidestretchedoverthreedaysratherthanthetwo-day,12hoursadayscheduleoriginallyoutlined.
RepublicansalsoappearedreadytoremoveablockontheHousemanagerspresentingtheevidencefromtheiroriginalinvestigationtotheSenateatthebeginningofthetrial,ratherthanonlyafterargumentshavebeenmade.
ButtherewasnosuggestionthatMcConnellwouldbendonDemocratdemandsthatwitnesssubpoenasbeallowedfromtheoutset.
DemocratswanttohearfromfourcurrentandformertopTrumpaides,includingWhiteHouseChiefofStaffMickMulvaneyandformernationalsecurityadvisorJohnBolton,whohavedirectknowledgeoftheaccusationsagainstthepresident.
DuringtheHouseinvestigationTrumpclaimedexecutiveprivilegeandblockedtheirtestimony,aswellasthereleaseofdocumentssubpoenaedbytheHouse.
ThearticlesofimpeachmentstatethatTrumptriedtopressureUkraineintointerferinginthe2020electiontohelphimwin,andthentothwarttheinvestigationbyblockingwitnessesanddenyingdocumentstotheHouseofRepresentatives.
CentraltothescandalisaJuly25telephonecallinwhichTrumppushedUkrainianPresidentVolodymyrZelenskytoannounceaninvestigationofformervicepresidentJoeBiden,hispotentialopponentintheNovembervote.
TrumpisaccusedofwithholdingnearlyUSD400millioninmilitaryaidforUkraine'swaragainstRussian-backedseparatists,andrefusingZelenskyaWhiteHousemeeting,unlessheopenedaprobeofBiden.
OnSundayTrump'slegalteamissueda110-pagedefensewhichclaimedtheHousehasaccusedhimofnospecific"crime,"thattheirinvestigationwasa"riggedprocess,"andthatTrumpwaswithinhisrightstopushUkrainetoinvestigateBiden.
JaySekulow,oneofTrump'slawyers,toldtheSenateTuesdaythatthetwoarticlesofimpeachmenthaveonly"avagueallegationaboutanon-crimeallegationofabuseofpowerandobstructionofCongress."
TheimpeachmentprocessisdeeplydivisiveamongAmericans--withpollsshowingthecountrysplitdownthemiddleonwhetherthepresidentshouldberemovedfromoffice,10monthsbeforevotersgotothepollstodecidewhethertore-electhim.
ThepresidenthimselfwasinDavos,SwitzerlandfortheWorldEconomicForumonTuesday,whereherepeatedhislongstandingcharacterisationofimpeachmentasa"hoax."
InDavos,Trumpsaid,"we'remeetingwithworldleaders,themostimportantpeopleintheworldandwe'rebringingbacktremendousbusiness."
"Theother'sjustahoax,"hesaid."It'sthewitchhuntthat'sbeengoingonforyearsandfranklyit'sdisgraceful.
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