The Impeachment Is Heading To The Senate: Here's What You Missed

The impeachment is officially moving from the Home of Representatives to the Senate, and next week is set to be a big one. Yet first, let’s catch up on what happened in the here and now.


To catch you up:


Nearly six months prior, President Donald Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate 2016 election interference based on a conspiracy theory and to dig up dirt on his potential political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, and his son, Hunter Biden. Two months later, a whistleblower complaint about the call became public, leading to private and public hearings from everyone from Ambassador Bill Taylor, the best diplomat in Ukraine, to Fiona Hill, Trump’s top Russia advisor. Fast forward through a series of wild weeks filled with dogs, drag queens, Kim Kardashian, A$AP Rocky, weird turkey pardons, deadline promises made not kept, along with a House Judiciary Committee vote: In late December, Trump was officially impeached by the Residence of Representatives. However alternatively opposed to immediately sending the articles of impeachment over to the Senate, Speaker of the Residence Nancy Pelosi contained on for nearly a month, citing that she wanted more evidence to be revealed and proof that the Senate trial could be fair.


So what happened this week?


Monday, January 13


Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) dropped out of the race for president, citing the impeachment trial as segment of the reason why. As jurors, senators are expected to attend the trial day-to-day, meaning that a couple of presidential candidates will have to reside in the Washington, D.C., Area up to six days per week for the foreseeable future.


“It was a tough choice to prepare, yet I got in this race to win, and I’ve routinely mentioned I wouldn’t continue if there was no longer a path to victory,” he told supporters, according to NBC News. “Our campaign has reached the point where we need more cash to scale up and continue making a campaign that can win — cash we don’t have, and cash that is harder to raise because I won’t be on the second debate stage and as the urgent firm of impeachment will rightly be keeping me in Washington.”


Other presidential candidates mentioned they’d be dealing with impeachment alternatively opposed to campaigning, also. According to the New York Times, Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) mentioned he’d “rather be here in Iowa, however I have a constitutional responsibility, which I accept as a United States senator, to be a juror in Trump’s impeachment trial. So I’ll be there.”


According to WBUR, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) mentioned that “there are some things that are more essential than politics, and if we have an impeachment proceeding on, I will be there.”


Also on Monday, the New York Times announced that Burisma, the Ukrainian gas agency that Hunter Biden worked for, has been hacked by the Russian military. Who is aware why or what the hackers noticed, however we love layers.


Tuesday, January 14


We’re heating up! The House of Representatives announced it would finally vote on Wednesday (January 15) to send the impeachment articles to the Senate. Senate Leader Mitch McConnell mentioned he’d still be considering the terms right until the formal trial begins, according to New York Times reporter Nicholas Fandos.


If Pelosi was waiting for new evidence to arrive before she sent the articles, it seems her wait was worth it as soon as the Home released troves upon troves of previously-sealed documents, including pages of records from Lev Parnas. You may remember Parnas because the indicted co-worker of Trump’s personalized lawyer Rudy Giuliani, or as one of the guys who attempted to flee the nation however was arrested at the airport.


The files are a peculiar mixture of notes, text messages, and letters, including messages that make it appear Marie Yovanovitch, and then the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, was being surveilled. There was a letter suggesting that some of Giuliani’s work was done with President Donald Trump’s “knowledge and consent.” And one note scribbled on a notepad from the Ritz Carlton hotel features these instructions for Parnas: “Put with each other a package,” and “go to DC with package.” Then it instructs Parnas to do his “magic” and “cut deal.” In another note, next to an asterisk, Parnas writes “Get Zalenksy [sic] to Annouce [sic] that the Biden case will be Investigated.” As Stephen Colbert mentioned on The Late Show per The Washington Post, “You don’t have to write the crime down, you dummy.” He later joked, “It didn’t help that the next note was ‘Leave paper trail of impeachable offenses’ and ‘Steal Ritz-Carlton stationery.’”


Truly, writing down A list of the crimes you needed to commit in a starred list on a notecard would almost be endearing if the stakes* weren’t so high.


*democracy as we know it


Also on Tuesday, Politico reported that there’s a chance we can visualize and hear Trump even if he refuses to show up to the trial: by means of the video. McConnell will have to agree, so it’s still up in the air.


Do you remember the drama from last week with John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser? As a reminder, Bolton released a statement on January 6 saying that “if the Senate issues a subpoena for my testimony, I am ready to testify.” This comes soon after his previous symptoms that he would not testify if subpoenaed by the Residence of Representatives. And Bolton’s lawyers mentioned in November that he had data about “many relevant meetings and conversations that have not although been spoke in the testimonies thus far,” per the New York Times. This week, a number of senior White Residence officials told CBS News at least four GOP senators would vote to let witnesses, including Bolton, to testify.


Wednesday, January 15


It’s happening! The Residence of Representatives voted 228 to 193 to send both articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate, the New York Times reported. Pelosi also reported the seven Democrats who will be impeachment managers: Democratic Representatives Adam Schiff of California, Jerry Nadler of New York, Zoe Lofgren of California, Val Demings of Florida, Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Sylvia Garcia of Texas, and Jason Crow of Colorado. That same day, the seven representatives walked the articles to the Senate in a leather case and gave the articles to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA). It was all very traditional.


the bosses serve as prosecutors and will present each case for impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — to the Senate, who serve as jurors. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts will preside over it all.


Thursday, January 16


Thursday was largely ceremonial and began off with Schiff, the lead impeachment manager, reading the articles aloud, which signifies the initial of the trial, according to the New York Times. “President Trump warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office and disqualification to hold and appreciate any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States,” Schiff mentioned, per the Times. Justice Roberts was sworn in; he in turn swore in the senators.


And Trump generally seems to be on his way to understand what is happening, given that he tweeted, “I JUST GOT IMPEACHED FOR Creating a Brilliant PHONE CALL!”


Reader: “THE PHONE CALL” was not “PERFECT.”


Friday, January 17


We noticed out more about Trump’s defense team on Friday. We already knew that the defense could be spearheaded by his own lawyers, including Pat Cipollone, Jay Sekulow, Pat Philbin, and Mike Purpura, NPR reported. On Friday, NBC News reported that the team will be adding criminal defense lawyer Jane Raskin, and also Alan Dershowitz and Ken Starr. Both Dershowitz and Starr worked with infamous billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, per the Daily Beast. Additionally to also working with Epstein (whom Trump was companions with), Starr is perhaps most famed for his role because the individual counsel investigating the Clintons’ real estate holdings, which evolved into an investigation connected with Bill Clinton’s relationship with White Residence intern Monica Lewinsky. Starr’s reporting, which was helped by one of his law clerks and now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, suggested Clinton’s impeachment. Also on Trump’s team is Robert Ray, who succeeded Starr as Clinton’s special counsel, per NBC News.


Up next, we may would be in for a long ride. Residence managers and Trump’s defense team will make their arguments, and then the senators ask questions (through writing, and through Roberts — senators aren’t allowed to speak at the trial). And then maybe we’ll hear from new witnesses and new evidence? We’ll find out more at 1 p.M. EST on Tuesday (January 21) once the Senate begins beginning arguments. Let the trial begin.