The investigation into the Ukraine affair is entering a new phase: As of this Wednesday, US Congressional Democrats want to publicly poll important witnesses for the first time - live on television. They hope to see how deeply US President Donald Trump is involved in the scandal.
The goal of the public hearing is clear: to drive Trump out of the White House, there must also be clear support for such impeachment among the population. Otherwise, Republicans in the US Senate would not find enough votes against Trump.
So far the Americans are divided on this issue. According to surveys, about half of the voters vote for an impeachment, the other half oppose it.
Can that still change? Who are these witnesses, how significant are their statements? And what strategy are Democrats and Republicans pursuing for the next few weeks? The most important questions and answers.
1. What is it exactly now?
Trump is said to have put massive pressure on the new Ukrainian government to receive support for its 2020 election campaign. He is said to have tied US military aid to the condition that Kiev - long refuted - reproaches against the Democrat Joe Biden and his son Hunter re-examined.
Hunter Biden had done business in Ukraine. In addition, Trump wanted to bring the Kiev government to pursue a conspiracy theory, according to which not Russia intervened in the US elections in 2016, but the Ukraine.
The scandal started when a whistleblower revealed how Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj to investigate Biden during a telephone conversation in July.
Several US diplomats have since confirmed this in statements behind closed doors. According to him, the phone call was part of a campaign led by Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani, which stalled government career officials.
2. Who are the first witnesses?
This week, three witnesses will testify who have already been interviewed internally. First, the acting US Ambassador to Ukraine, William Taylor . Subsequently, Ukraine Under Secretary of State George Kent is interviewed. On Friday, Marie Yovanovitch , ex-ambassador to Ukraine, follows.
J. Scott Applewhite / AP
The acting ambassador to Ukraine, Bill Taylor, is the first to testify
All three are professional diplomats. They have closely followed the events and Trump and Giuliani in their first statements ready heavy burdened. Taylor called Trump's Ukraine campaign a "snake pit."
3. How do the interviews go?
The interviews take place in front of the US House of Representatives' intelligence committee. The Democrats have set the rules with their majority there. Chairman Adam Schiff can first interview the witnesses for 45 minutes at a time, and the use of trained staff is also possible. (Read a portrait of the politician here)
From the perspective of the Democrats, this has the advantage that the witnesses can describe their views without long interruptions or distractions from the Republicans. Thus, a consistent narrative can emerge, which unfolds more impact on television.
After Ship, the co-chair of the committee, the Republican MP Devin Nunes , has a similarly detailed right to ask. Later, the other members of the panel may also ask their questions.
4. What is the strategy of both sides?
The Democrats want to turn the affair into a gripping TV drama to convince voters that Trump should be removed for abuse of power of the office. The argument: election campaign assistance from abroad is illegal. As a script for this show, the Democrats serve the previous, non-public statements, of which they have already published thousands of pages transcripts.
AP
Place of truth? The hall where the public hearings will take place
The strategy of the Republicans is more unclear, she changed often recently. Some argue that Trump's pressure on Ukraine was at best inadequate, but does not justify impeachment. Other Republicans aim to blame the individual actors for the affair, but not Trump. They also want to try to discredit the witnesses, their credibility should be undermined.
5. Which witnesses are still expected?
Next week, more government employees are expected to perform. Including possibly Alexander Vindman : The lieutenant colonel in the Security Council is considered one of the most important witnesses .
SHAWN THEW / EPA-EFE / REX
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman is one of the key witnesses in the affair
Ex-security adviser John Bolton could also appear. Bolton has left the White House in the dispute and suggested that he knew about hitherto unknown details of the affair. However, he first asked a court to clarify whether he should testify or refuse to testify as Trump demands of his staff.
Another key figure is Rick Mulvaney , Trump's acting chief of staff. He is summoned, initially turned to a court, but now wants to be completely silent. In addition to the Democrats, the Republicans have the right to propose witnesses. So they wish that Biden's son Hunter and the anonymous whistleblower are summoned. Schiff has already rejected this as a "diversion maneuver". He can stop such concerns with the majority of Democrats.
6. What happens next?
The Democrats hope to complete the testimony before the Thanksgiving Feast later this month, but this schedule is increasingly questionable. It is clear:
- After that, the case goes to the Judiciary Committee, which would formulate "Articles of Impeachment" - that is, the individual charges against Trump.
- A formal impeachment would then vote for the entire House of Representatives; the simple majority that the Democrats have is enough.
- This would be followed by a "trial" in the Senate, in which both sides will present their arguments. That too would be public. For a guilty verdict, however, a two-thirds majority is needed there.
- The Republicans already have a simple majority in the Senate, and the Democrats should convince 20 Republicans to overflow.
They hope for a vote before the end of the year, so that the Democratic senators who are applying for the presidential candidacy, in time for the first primaries on 3 February again fully in the election campaign.
