Senate Unveils Rules for Trump Impeachment Trial

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has unveiled the rules for the trial “concerning the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States.”

Set forth the in the proposed rules, the “President and the House of Representatives shall have until 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 22, 2020, to file any motions permitted under the rules of impeachment with the exception of motions to subpoena witnesses or documents or any other evidentiary motions.” “Arguments on such motions shall begin at 1:00 p.m. 15 on Wednesday, January 22, 2020”.

Then, “the House of Representatives shall make its presentation in support of the articles of impeachment for a period of time not to exceed 24 hours, over up to 2 session days. Following the House of Representatives’ presentation, the President shall make his presentation for a period not to exceed 24 hours, over up to 2 session days.”

Following the House of Representatives and President’s presentations, “Senators may question the parties for a period of time not to exceed 16 hours. Upon the conclusion of questioning by the Senate, there shall be 4 hours of argument by the parties, equally divided, followed by deliberation by the Senate”.

The Senate “shall then decide by the yeas and nays whether it shall… subpoena witnesses or documents.” “If the Senate agrees to allow either the House of Representatives or the President to subpoena witnesses, the witnesses shall first be deposed and the Senate shall decide after deposition which witnesses shall testify”.

“At the conclusion of the deliberations by the Senate, the Senate shall vote on each article of impeachment.”