Congressional Democrats Call Republican Impeachment Hearing Proposals An Attempted “Cover-Up”

Greg Evans

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Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer pledged to seek amendments to Monday’s Republican proposal on impeachment trial hearing rules, amendments that would allow for the presentation of witness testimony and evidence pertaining to Donald Trump’s communications with the president of Ukraine.

“This is a historic moment,” Schumer said in the televised presser. “The eyes of America are watching. Republican senators must rise to the occasion.”

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Earlier today, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler told reporters that Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s proposal on rules and parameters of today’s impeachment trial is nothing more than complicity in Trump’s cover-up.

Nadler said a debate over whether to allow evidence and witnesses at the trial is “is to be debating whether you should have a cover-up.”

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McConnell released the text of proposed rules and parameters Monday, setting aside 12 hours for each side per day for opening arguments (a plan that, because opening arguments won’t start until 1 p.m. ET, would stretch the hearings late into the night, when most people are asleep) and postponing a vote on whether to allow evidence and witnesses until after each side concludes its opening arguments.

“Is this about hiding the evidence from the American people?,” Schiff said, adding, “This is not the fair trial the American people want, it’s not the fair trial the American people deserve.”

Schumer reiterated the criticism against those 12-hour days: “If the president is so confident in his case, why doesn’t he present it when the sun is shining?”

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