The Democrats' lead impeachment manager, House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA), formally read the articles of impeachment against President Trump on the Senate floor on Thursday, kicking off the Senate trial. The two articles, which were passed by the House last month, are abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Rep. Schiff reads impeachment articles: "In the history of the Republic, no president has ever ordered the complete defiance of an impeachment inquiry, or sought to obstruct and impede so comprehensively the ability of the House...to investigate high crimes and misdemeanors." pic.twitter.com/xbnjBgX3U6
— ABC News (@ABC) January 16, 2020
All seven Democratic impeachment managers waltzed into the Senate ahead of the readings.
House impeachment managers Adam Schiff, Jerry Nadler, Zoe Lofgren, Hakeem Jeffries, Jason Crow, Val Demings and Sylvia Garcia just walked the articles of impeachment to the Senate to formally present them pic.twitter.com/QAu4aXZ9hI
— POLITICO (@politico) January 16, 2020
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who will preside over the trial, will swear in the impeachment managers Thursday at 2 p.m. In their oaths, the Democrats will have to pledge to be "impartial jurors."
Thursday's proceedings may have seemed somber, but it was a different story Wednesday night when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi actually signed the impeachment articles. She smiled for the cameras and handed out some celebratory signature pens at the ceremony.
So much for a somber, sad, and prayerful impeachment.
— Tommy Pigott (@TCPigott) January 15, 2020
Democrats beam while Pelosi hands out impeachment pens, even posing for photos with their pens after they are handed out. pic.twitter.com/2qfGMxX3fd
The Senate impeachment trial will begin next Tuesday morning.
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UPDATE (Matt): Chief Justice John Roberts is at the Senate now, he's been sworn in for the impeachment trial, U.S. Senators now signing the oath book and being sworn in as well.
Chief Justice John Roberts arrives to be sworn in to preside over the Senate trial
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 16, 2020
Live quorum call in the Senate imminent. Senate President Pro Tempore Grassley to swear in Chief Justice Roberts soon. Then Roberts swears in the senators. The senators sign an oath book.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 16, 2020
Senators now signing the oath book for the Trump trial
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 16, 2020
Grassley says to Roberts “God bless you” after he is sworn in. Roberts now administers the oath to all senators
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 16, 2020
UPDATE II (Matt): The stage is set. Senate will send notice to the White House about the trial. Senate is in recess, will return January 21 at 1 PM.
Senate agrees to send notification to the President about the trial. Wants trial briefs by the 20th. House can respond with a rebuttal by the 21st
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 16, 2020
Senate now out until 1 pm Tuesday for the next phase of an impeachment trial
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 16, 2020