“Today, Leader McConnell made clear that he will feebly comply with President Trump’s cover-up of his abuses of power and be an accomplice to that cover-up,” she wrote. The outcome of the dispute over witnesses and documents could determine not only when the trial begins and how long it lasts, but also whether it produces meaningful new information that could affect the outcome, either exonerating or further implicating Mr. Trump. Ms. Pelosi and Senate Democrats have subsequently argued that in light of Mr. Trump’s blanket defiance of the House’s impeachment inquiry, the trial must include new evidence to be fair, and they want a commitment up front. Mr. Schumer has specifically asked that a trial include testimony from four witnesses who evaded the House and a wide array of documents that the White House blocked House investigators from obtaining. His case has been aided in recent days as new evidence has surfaced in news reports and freedom of information lawsuits.

Source: New York Times January 03, 2020 20:41 UTC