House Dems ask Trump to testify under oath in Senate trial

House Democrats on Thursday asked Donald Trump to testify under oath for his Senate impeachment trial, saying former president must explain why he and his lawyers have disputed key factual allegations at centre of case. request from House impeachment manrs make clear ir intent to present an aggressive case against former president even though he has left White House. A Trump adviser did t immediately return a mess seeking comment about manrs' letter.

Senate impeachment trial starts Feb. 9. Trump is charged with inciting a mob of supporters that stormed Capitol on Jan. 6. In letter, Rep Jamie Raskin, one of impeachment manrs, asked that Trump provide testimony “eir before or during Senate impeachment trial,” and under cross examination, about his conduct on Jan. 6, as early as Monday and t later than next Thursday, Feb. 11.

Raskin said that Trump questioned critical facts in case “twithstanding clear and overwhelming evidence of your constitutional offense.” “In light of your disputing se factual allegations, I write to invite you to provide testimony under oath, eir before or during Senate impeachment trial, concerning your conduct on January 6, 2021,” Raskin wrote.

Raskin wrote that if Trump refuses to testify, manrs will use his refusal against him in trial – a similar argument put forth by House Democrats in last year's impeachment trial, when many Trump officials igred subpoenas. "Indeed, whereas a sitting president might raise concerns about distraction from ir official duties, that concern is obviously inapplicable here,” Raskin wrote. 

(Im Credits: AP)