Trump's trial begins at the start of an election year

U.S. Senate opened impeachment trial of President Donald Trump with quiet ceremony Thursday — senators standing at ir desks to swear an oath of “impartial justice” as jurors, House prosecutors formally reciting charges and Chief Justice John Roberts presiding.

trial, only third such undertaking in American history, is unfolding at start of election year, a time of deep political division in nation. Four of senators sitting in judgment on Trump are running for Democratic Party's mination to challenge him in fall.

“Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye!" intoned Senate's sergeant at arms, calling proceedings to order just past on.

Senators filled chamber, an unusual sight in itself, sitting silently under strict rules that prohibit talking or cellphones, for a trial that will test t only Trump's presidency but also nation’s three branches of power and its system of checks and balances.

"Will all senators w stand, and remain standing, and raise ir right hand," Roberts said.

“Do you solemnly swear that in all things appertaining to trial of impeachment of Donald John Trump, president of United States, w pending, you will do impartial justice according to Constitution and laws, so help you God?”

senators responded y would, and n y lined up to sign an oath book.

Trump faces two charges after House voted to impeach him last month. One, that he abused his presidential power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden, using military aid to country as lever. Trump is also charged with obstructing Congress’ ensuing probe.

president insists he did thing wrong, and he dismissed trial anew on Thursday at White House: “It's totally partisan. It’s a hoax.”

Eventual acquittal is expected in Republican-controlled Senate. However, new revelations are mounting about Trump's actions toward Ukraine.

At same time, an indicted associate of Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani,

developments applied fresh pressure to senators to call more witnesses for trial, a main source of contention that is still to be resolved. White House has instructed officials t to comply with subpoenas from Congress requesting witnesses or or information.

“What is president hiding? What is he afraid of?’’ asked Senate Democratic leer Chuck Schumer.

“ gravity of se charges is self-evident," he said. “ House of Representatives has accused president of trying to shake down a foreign leer for personal gain.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said new information from Parnas demands an investigation, which she doesn't expect from Trump's attorney general. "This is an example of all of president’s henchmen, and I hope that senators do t become part of president’s henchmen.”

Before swearing-in, House Democrats prosecuting case stood before Senate and Rep. am Schiff of Intelligence Committee formally re articles of impeachment.

Seven lawmakers, led by Schiff and Rep. Jerrold Nler of Judiciary Committee, me solemn walk across Capitol for a second day.

All eyes were on Schiff as he stood at a lectern in well of chamber, a usually reserved for senators.

“House Resolution 755 Impeaching Donald John Trump, president of United States, for high crimes and misdemears,” he began, reing nine ps.

or House prosecutors stood in a row to his side.

Senators said later that when Roberts appeared solemnity of occasion took hold. Security was tight at Capitol.

"I thought this is a historic moment, and you could have heard a pin drop,” said Republican John Cornyn of Texas. “And so I think gravity of what are undertaking I think was sinking in for all of us.”

Republican House Majority Leer Mitch McConnell took a far different view of charges and proceedings.

He opened chamber decrying Pelosi's decision to hand out "souvenir pens” on Wednesday after she signed resolution to transmit charges to Senate.

“This final display neatly distilled House's entire partisan process into one perfect visual,” McConnell said. “It was a transparently partisan process from beginning to end.”

GOP

Senate will issue a formal summons to White House to appear, with president's legal team expected to respond by Saturday. Opening arguments will begin on Tuesday.

president suggested recently that he would be open to a quick vote to simply dismiss charges, but sufficient Republican support is lacking for that.

Inste, president's team expects a trial lasting more than two weeks, according to senior ministration officials. That would be far shorter than trial of President Bill Clinton, in 1999, or first one, of President Andrew Johnson, in 1868. Both were acquitted.

It would take a super-majority of senators, 67 of 100, to convict president. Republicans control chamber, 53-47, but it takes just 51 votes during trial to approve rules, call witnesses or dismiss charges.

A group of four Republican senators is working to ensure re will be votes on possibility of witnesses, though it's t at all certain a majority will prevail for new testimony.

Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Mitt Romney of Utah, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee are among those involved.

“I tend to believe having ditional information would be helpful,” Collins said in a statement. “It is likely that I would support a motion to call witnesses.”

Romney said he wants to hear from John Bolton, former national security viser at White House, who ors have said raised alarms about alternative foreign policy toward Ukraine being run by Giuliani.

House manrs are a diverse group with legal, law enforcement and military experience, including Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Sylvia Garcia of Texas, Val Demings of Florida, Jason Crow of Coloro and Zoe Lofgren of California.

Two are freshmen — Crow a former Army Ranger who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Garcia a former judge in Houston. Demings is former police chief of Orlando, and Jeffries is a lawyer and member of party leership. Lofgren has rare credential of having worked on a congressional staff during President Richard Nixon's impeachment — he resigned before full House voted on charges — and n being an elected lawmaker during Clinton's.

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Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Alan Fram, Matw Daly, Andrew Taylor, Mary Clare Jalonick, Laurie Kellman, and Pmananda Rama contributed to this report.