Published 09:49 IST, January 26th 2020
Donald Trump 'did nothing wrong': Defense opens argument in Senate
White House lawyers opened their defence in Senate of United States President Donald Trump on January 25 and said that President had done nothing wrong.
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As only the third impeachment trial unfolds in Senate, White House lawyers opened their defence of United States President Donald Trump on January 25 and said that President "did absolutely nothing wrong" in the dealings with his Ukrainian counterpart. The defence team, led by counsel Pat Cipollone further accused the Democrats of seeking to overturn the results of the 2016 election.
Cipollone took the floor to open the arguments at a reportedly rare weekend session of the 100-member Senate which has to decide whether the 45th US President should be removed from the office. He also said that the Democratic prosecutors from House of Representatives, which impeached Trump on December 18, had not made their case that Trump was guilty of the charges; 'abuse of power', and 'obstruction to Congress'.
Pat Cipollone:
— Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) January 25, 2020
We don't believe that the House Managers have come anywhere close to meeting their burden for what they're asking you to do.
In fact, we believe that when you hear the facts you will find that the President did absolutely nothing wrong. pic.twitter.com/8QEY3VSTj0
House prosecutors had spent nearly three days in the chamber trying to lay out a detailed case that US President had withheld military assistance for Ukraine to pressure Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky to open an investigation into political rival Joe Biden's son, Hunter. However, Cipollone said on Saturday that Democrats were asking the Senate to “overturn the results of the last election” and remove the US President from the ballot in the upcoming elections in November. The White House counsel also said that the prosecutors are asking the Senate something that “no Senate has ever done”.
Cipollone also added, “They're asking you to tear up all of the ballots across this country. Take that decision away from the American people. They are here to perpetuate the most massive interference in an election in American history and we can't allow that to happen."
Trump would 'love' to attend trial
When Senate adjourned the first day of the impeachment trial against Donald Trump in US, he said in Davos that he would 'love' to attend the proceedings but his lawyers 'might have a problem' with it on January 22. The US President has not only used his keynote speech at 50th World Economic Forum meeting to praise America's economy but also repeated his cry foul regarding impeachment and called it a 'hoax'.
Trump said, "I'd love to go, wouldn't that be great? Wouldn't that be beautiful? I'd love to sit right in the front row and stare in their corrupt faces. I'd love to do it."
09:49 IST, January 26th 2020