Trump impeachment: Schiff says Trump tried to ‘cheat’ way to re-election – live | US news

Referring to ambassador Gordon Sondland’s notes of his phone call with Bill Taylor, the top US diplomat in Ukraine, Adam Schiff told senators: “They’re yours for the asking.”

“Demand those notes’ Schiff said. “Demand to see the truth.”

He continued: “Maybe those notes say no quid pro quo. Maybe those notes say it’s a perfect call. I’d like to see them.”

Schiff reviewed what House investigators do know, and read out text messages between Sondland and Taylor. When Taylor grew worried about why the US was withholding congressionally-approved military assistance to Ukraine, he texted Sondland.

“Are we now saying that security assistance and WH meeting are conditioned on investigations?” asked Taylor.

“Call me,” Sondland replied.

Lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff once again appealed to senators to call more witnesses — especially national security adviser John Bolton.

“What did Bolton know about the freeze in aid?” Schiff asked, rhetorically. “He’s there for your asking.”

Schiff also contested claims by Donald Trump and his allies that Ukraine never felt any pressure to announce an investigation.

“We’re to believe they felt no pressure? Folks, they’re at war, and they’re being told you’re not getting $400m in aid,” Schiff said. “That’s $400m of pressure.”

A reminder that Gordon Sondland, whose testimony is being heavily featured in Adam Schiff’s presentation, is still the US ambassador to the European Union

In a public hearing, Sondland said Trump had conditioned a White House meeting with the Ukranian president on him making an announcement that Ukraine was investigating Trump’s political rivals, including Joe Biden. “Was there a quid pro quo?” Sondland testified. “The answer is yes.”

The trial has resumed after a brief dinner break.

Impeachment manager Adam Schiff said he expects to continue for another two or two and a half hours. He has begun by reviewing events following the July 25 phone call between Donald Trump and Voldodmyr Zelensky, detailing efforts by Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani to pressure Ukrainian officials.

More than five hours of hearing impeachment managers presenting their case against Donald Trump has not compelled Republican senators to subpoena witnesses and testimony.

The impeachment brief “says the information is overwhelming, the facts are overwhelming,” said John Barrasso, a Republican senator from Wyoming. “Then present it and let’s vote.” Speaking to reporters in the basement of the Capitol, Barrasso said there’s no need to consider any new evidence.

Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, said he would want to hear from one additional witness: Joe Biden’s son Hunter. “The need for the senate to hear the testimony of Hunter Biden… has become all the more relevant,” he told reporters.

But the same senators who denied the need to subpoena any additional evidence complained that the impeachment managers’ were repeating themselves. Barrasso said he heard “nothing new” presented today. Cruz echoed: “Just a few hours into their opening argument, they’re already repeating the same point for 13 hours yesterday.”

A protestor briefly interrupted the trial

Here’s what the senators are up to

As impeachment managers carry on, taking turns laying out a detailed case against Donald Trump, the senators are taking notes — or not. They’re sitting at their desks, they’re pacing, they’re drinking milk and filling crossword puzzles.

The rules also say lawmakers should refrain from talking, but reporters at the trial have spotted a few whispered conversations.

Another convention, if not an explicit rule, is that senators can’t eat, but can drink water or milk while in the chamber. Senator Tom Cotton seems to be making the most of it (milking it, we could say).

Among the senators that seem to be sitting tight are progressive presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. But there appears to be a subtle philosophical difference between the two liberal 2020 competitors.

Warren seems to have a system for her notes:

Sanders isn’t big into note-taking:

As the impeachment managers carry on, presenting their case against Donald Trump, the president has announced all sorts of new plans, policies, and programs that on any other day, may have dominated the news cycle.

Speaking with reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump announced that he intends to expand his controversial travel ban. “We’re adding a couple of countries to it. We have to be safe,” he said. “You see what’s going on in the world. Our country has to be safe.” According to the AP, anonymous officials familiar with the matter said seven countries were added to a draft of the proposed restrictions: Belarus, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania. “It’s going to be announced very shortly. Okay?” the president teased.

In an interview with CNBC, Trump actively reached for what has long been the third rail of politics, indicating a willingness to revamp Social Security and Medicare. Trump said that entitlement programs are “ the easiest of all things” to tackle.

The president also revealed plans to speak at an anti-abortion demonstration on Friday, organized by the group March for Life. He will be the first president to attend a March for Life event — though this isn’t the first time he’s endorsed the group. He addressed anti-abortion demonstrators via telecast in 2018.

Donald Trump put out 132 tweets and retweets as of 4:45 pm ET today, setting a record for the most of any single day since he became president.

Most of the messages were retweets from supporters, including Fox News’ Sean Hannity, the GOP, and senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul.