Donald Trump's Impeachment Trial Is Heating Up

Reuters

Posted Saturday, January 18, 2020 4:19 AM , updated Saturday, January 18, 2020 4:19 AM

The White House on Friday (local time) named members of U.S. President Trump’s defense team for his impeachment trial, which will begin in earnest next week.

Here is what to look out for next as the proceedings advance (all dates and times are listed in AEST).

JANUARY 19

- If the Democratic-led House of Representatives wants to file a trial brief laying out its arguments supporting charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress against Trump, it must do so by 9 am Sunday.

- Trump has until 9 am to respond in writing to a summons from the Senate, notifying him of the trial and the charges against him.

JANUARY 21

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- The House has until 11 pm to file its reply to Trump’s response to the trial summons.

- Trump has until 11 pm to file a trial brief that would contain detailed materials from his lawyers.

STARTING JANUARY 23

- If the White House files a trial brief on behalf of Trump, the House has until 11 pm to file a rebuttal brief if it so chooses.

- The trial resumes at 5 am and is expected to continue six days a week, with the exception of Sundays.

- A vote could be held sometime during the day on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s proposed rules governing the first phases of the trial, which would leave open the option of voting later on whether witnesses would testify and new evidence could be introduced.

- Democratic House “managers” who form the prosecution team will begin to present their case against Trump, and the president’s legal team will respond, with senators sitting as jurors.

- Following the opening arguments, which could take days to present, senators would then be given time to submit questions to each side.

LATE JANUARY TO EARLY FEBRUARY

- Democrats will push to hear from witnesses during the trial. If McConnell’s resolution on initial trial rules is adopted, as expected, senators would likely vote sometime after the trial has started on whether to introduce witness testimony sought by the Democrats.

FEBRUARY 4

- Trump is scheduled to deliver the annual State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress.