Impeachment trial of President Trump

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the first amendment to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's proposed rules for the Senate impeachment trial will be one to subpoena White House documents.

He did not say how many other amendments he'll offer — but said there will be a "series" of them.

"I will then offer a series of amendments on the documents we requested, the witnesses we requested, and amendments to fix the most egregious departure that McConnell made in his resolution from the Clinton rules," he said.

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Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's plan to have the trial's opening arguments go into the wee hours of the night, asking, "If the President is so confident in his case, then why won't he present it in broad daylight?"

Schumer said that if McConnell's rules are adopted, it will be a "dark day" for the Senate.

"On something as important as impeachment, McConnell's resolution is nothing short of a national disgrace. And it will go down in history as one of the very dark days of the Senate," he said.

About McConnell's planned rules: Yesterday, McConnell unveiled a trial plan that would give each side 24 hours over two days to present their side. The trial is expected to begin at 1 p.m. ET each day — meaning arguments could go until 1 a.m. ET, or later if there are breaks.

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Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, "the McConnell rules seem to be designed by President Trump, for President Trump." 

He added: "Simply executed by Leader McConnell and Senate Republicans. It appears that Leader McConnell decided to go along with the President's desire to cover-up his wrongdoing, hook, line and sinker."

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is now addressing reporters.

He opened the news conference by talking about health care — but quickly pivoted to the impeachment process.

"Now, let's get to the issue at hand. As you all know, President Trump is accused of coercing a foreign leader into interfering in our elections to benefit himself. And then doing everything in his power to cover it up," he said.

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The House impeachment managers are now huddling in Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s office.

The managers just finished a press conference where they slammed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's proposed resolution for how the trial will proceed.

Here's a look at McConnell's proposed schedule — and how it compares to President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial:

House impeachment manager Adam Schiff criticized Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's proposed trial rules, which call for each side to make opening arguments over the course of two days — meaning the trial could go past 1 a.m. ET each day.

He slammed the resolution’s provision that additional documents will only get a vote on whether to be admitted after the opening statements and questions from senators.

House impeachment manager Adam Schiff just said, if the Senate does not allow witnesses and documents at trial, the chamber will be guilty of "working with the President to obstruct the truth from coming out."

He was just asked if he was worried that today's focus on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's proposed Senate rules and process "dilutes in any way the message you're trying to put out about what President Trump did."

Here's how he responded:

He continued: "And if the Senate and the Senate leadership will not allow the House to present its case, will not allow the calling of witnesses or presentation of documents, if Sen. McConnell makes this the first impeachment trial in history without witnesses or documents, it will not prove the President innocent — it will merely prove the Senate guilty of working with the President to obstruct the truth from coming out."

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House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff, who is also serving as an impeachment manager, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is pushing the trial late into the night in "hopes the American people will not be watching."

Yesterday, McConnell unveiled a trial plan that would give each side 24 hours over two days to present their side. The trial is expected to begin at 1 p.m. ET each day — meaning arguments could go until 1 a.m. ET, or later if there are breaks.

"They are compressing the time of the trial. Whereas the Clinton trial managers had six hours a day to present over a course of days, they're now presenting that we double the amount of time each day so that the proceedings can conceivably go well in the night when apparently Sen. McConnell hopes the American people will not be watching," Schiff said.

He added:

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Lead House impeachment manager Adam Schiff said at a press conference this morning that the resolution introduced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell "does not prescribe a process for a fair trial."

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