The first day of the trial of the Impeachment of Donald J. Trump went into the early hours of the following day. The day after MLK, the senate returned from the holiday to begin the trial. The first step, after the swearing-in, which happened last week, was to agree on the rules of trial. These rules dictate everything, from the length of time each side can state their case, to the how long the jurors (senate members) have to ask questions, to whether or not witness can be called, and if new evidence can be admitted.
Senate leader, Mitch McConnell, released the draft of the rules for debate late on Monday. The initial set of rules called for 16 hours for each side to make their case, or defense. The time for this rule was extended to 24 hours as democrats pushed for a longer allocation of time. The time for senate members to ask questions is 16 hours. The questions must all be submitted in writing. The democrats introduced 11 amendments to the trial rules, all were tabled, a euphemism for blocked, along party lines. These amendments ranged from being able to call various witnesses, to the admission of new evidence, to placing the authority to decide whether the above should be admitted on a “neutral” party, Chief Justice Roberts.
If after the juror’s Q&A session is completed and there are enough votes to require witnesses or documentation, those required to satisfy the query may be subpoenaed.
So, while the time for each side to make their arguments was extended, and there is a long-shot possibility of the subpoena of witness or documents, very little else came as a surprise. The trial resumes today.
