WASHINGTON D.C. – Pre-trial proceeding in the impeachment trial for the 45th President of the United States in the U.S. Senate officially gets underway today.
U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito was a guest on WAJR’s Talk of the Town and said the process begins with a series of formalities.
“At noon they will formally read the articles of impeachment to the Senate and then the Chief Justice gets sworn in, we get sworn in as jurors in the trial,”Capito said,”It’s a very solemn day on Capitol Hill and I take my responsibilities very seriously.”
Capito says the trial will hit full stride after the Martin Luther King holiday.
“Next Tuesday after Martin Luther King Day we will probably go into full session where we begin to hear the impeachment managers present the case,”Capito said,”Then we will hear the President’s lawyers present his defense.”
At that point, written questions will be submitted by senators through Chief Justice John Roberts to either the impeachment managers or defense lawyers.
Capito did address the issue of additional witnesses.
“I think that’s what we should do, and I haven’t heard both sides, then have questions, and I’m sure I’ll have questions,”Capito said,”Then decide whether we should move forward with additional witnesses.”
There is no timeline for completion of the litigation.