Last night, the Republican defense row arrived to present its arguments in the impeachment trial • 24 hours were allocated to the president's attorneys to respond to charges, but they ended just two hours later
Pat Sipolloni, Trump's attorney, claims in the Senate // Photo: AP
After three lengthy debates during which the Democratic Prosecution's opening arguments against President Trump were presented, the Republican defense row arrived Saturday night to present its main arguments in the Senate impeachment trial. 24 hours have been assigned to the president's lawyers to respond to charges, but they ended their first day just two hours later, after presenting one key message - Trump's impeachment at this time is, "very, very dangerous."
"You've heard the prosecutors talk for almost 24 hours for 3 days. We're not going to use that much time," insisted at the beginning of the hearing yesterday at the White House and Republican defense attorney Pat Sipolloni. "We do not believe they have even approached the proofs required to do what they ask (to oust the president)."
Photo: Reuters
Of course, the president's lawyers rejected the allegations at the base of the impeachment case, but even more, they presented the argument that the whole democratic move is an attempt to interfere in the upcoming presidential elections in November this year. Sipoloni claimed that the impeachment of the President at this time meant "destroying all the ballots across the country on your own initiative, taking the decision from the American people."
"They (the Democrats) are asking you to do something very disastrous, and I argue, very dangerous," Sipoloni stated. "With all their talk about electoral intervention, they are here trying to make the most massive electoral intervention in American history - and we must not let that happen. It will be the desecration of our constitution, the desecration of our history, the desecration of our future commitments." While the president is accused of abusing his power, the advocate argued it would be "completely irresponsible use of the Senate power" to comply with the Democratic demand and oust Trump. "Stop elections, get involved in the elections, remove the president from the ballot box? Let's let the citizens decide for themselves," he concluded.
The trial hearings will resume on Monday, and it remains to be seen how much of the 22 hours remaining for their opening arguments will be chosen by the president's attorneys. The Republicans, for their part, who have asked for a short, concise trial in advance, are in the meantime meeting their goals. The scenario in which President Trump is officially credited even before his February 4 state speech seems feasible right now.
Democrats are pleased with how the prosecution's argument ended on Friday. Prosecuting Attorney General Adam Schiff argued at the end of his remarks that the president would use his power again if he were not ousted and called on his Republican colleagues to show "real political courage" and support the continued Democratic request for more witnesses. Schiff responded to Republican arguments yesterday, saying they "don't question the facts associated with Trump's plot - they are trying to deflect, distract and distort the truth."
President Trump himself attacked Schiff and his Democratic colleagues even before the debate began last night. "Our case against the liar, the fraudulent, the fraudulent, the chuckling guard Chuck, their leader Nancy Pelosi, the stupid Alexandria Oxio Cortez as a stone and all the radical left and the All-Democratic Democratic Party, begins today," Trump tweeted in his Twitter account.