Published 11:13 IST, December 3rd 2019
Congressional Democrats name four witnesses for Trump impeachment hearing
The House judiciary committee on December 2 Â released the names of the four legal minds who will serve as witnesses for its first impeachment hearing.
The House Judiciary Committee on December 2 released the names of the four legal minds who will serve as witnesses for its first impeachment hearing on Wednesday at 10am. A US House Intelligence Committee report which contains the Democratic case of President Donald Trump's impeachment proceedings will be released on Tuesday, according to the panel's chairman. The hearing will be aimed at the constitutional grounds for impeachment and will determine whether Trump's actions towards Ukraine qualify as a high crime. The Trump's lawyers said that they won't be participating in the hearing and said that they will send counsel to represent US President in the future hearing that revolves around the actual substance of the Ukraine allegations.
Report to release on Tuesady
The witnesses are Noah Feldman, Pamela S Karlan, Michael Gerhardt, and Jonathan Turley. Democrat Adam Schiff said that they are putting their last efforts on their report which will be released today. The Democratic-controlled panel is expected to vote on the report’s approval on Tuesday night. A copy of the report was provided to the House Intelligence members on Monday night for a 24-hour review period. A US Congressional committee on Judiciary gave Donald Trump a week’s notice to declare whether his legal counsel wants to introduce evidence and call witnesses in the impeachment proceedings starting December 4. The House Judiciary Committee earlier sent a two-page letter to Trump setting a deadline of 5:00pm on December 6 specifying whether his counsel intends to participate and which of the privileges it seeks to exercise.
Trump and his lawyers to not participate in hearing
Jim Jordan, Republican representative and defender of Trump said that he had sifted through the report in a secure room at the Capitol and was instructed not to discuss the content until Sunday night. House Republicans issued their own reports on Monday. Wednesday’s hearing will let the judiciary committee to begin determining whether Trump should face impeachment proceedings. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that Trump should be held accountable as he had committed bribery. On Sunday night, the White House informed the Democrats that Trump and his lawyers would not participate in Wednesday’s hearing.
Updated 11:50 IST, December 3rd 2019