NEW: US Senate Majority Leader McConnell says that he would have enough Republican votes to start an impeachment trial without the support of Democrats, who have been demanding witness testimony.
The announcement by McConnell means that once Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calf., transmits the two articles of impeachment against Trump — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — the trial would begin. Under the rules announced by McConnell, the question of whether witnesses would be called would be dealt later in the trial.
The first phase of the trial would include"arguments from prosecution, arguments from defense" and a"period of written questions" submitted by Republican and Democratic senators, McConnell said. Only after that phase would"the issue of calling witnesses" be addressed, as it was during President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial 20 years ago.
"That will be addressed at that time and not before the trial begins," he said. The trial cannot get underway until Pelosi transmits the articles to the Senate.the precedent set in 1999 Clinton trial. Then, there was a two-step process: An initial agreement to first hear the prosecution and then the defense arguments, and, later, a vote on whether to have witnesses.
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