Updated
United States senators have sworn to ensure
"impartial justice" as jurors over President Donald Trump's impeachment
trial, as the Republican-majority chamber begins only the third such
proceeding in US history.
Key points:
- Donald Trump faces a charge of obstructing Congress's probe and abusing his presidential power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden
- Some republican senators are pushing to consider fresh witnesses in the senate
- Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi said typically a special prosecutor would investigate, but she doubted that would happen
The President has called the impeachment a "hoax," even as new information emerges about his actions toward Ukraine that led to the charges against him.
Democratic House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi said new allegations from an indicted associate of Mr Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani, Lev Parnas, only reinforces the need for the Senate to consider further testimony about the President's actions toward Ukraine.
Ms Pelosi noted that typically a special prosecutor would investigate but she doubted that would happen.
"This is an example of all of the President's henchmen," Ms Pelosi said, "and I hope that the senators do not become part of the president's henchmen."
Mr Trump faces a charge that he abused his presidential power by pressuring Ukraine to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden, using military aid to the country as leverage.
He tweeted today that he made a "perfect phone call" on the Ukraine issue.
The President was also charged with obstructing Congress's ensuing probe.
Ahead of the proceedings, the Government Accountability Office said on Thursday (local time) that the White House violated federal law in withholding the security assistance to Ukraine.
Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell opened the chamber by decrying Ms Pelosi's decision to hand out "souvenir pens" after she signed the resolution to transmit the charges to the Senate.
"This final display neatly distilled the House's entire partisan process into one perfect visual," Senator McConnell said.
"'It was a transparently partisan process from beginning to end."
Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer renewed his party's request that the trial include new witnesses and documents not available for the House impeachment proceedings.
"What is the president hiding? What is he afraid of?'' Senator Schumer said.
"The gravity of these charges is self-evident.
"The House of Representatives have accused the president of trying to shake down a foreign leader for personal gain."
Will more witnesses be called?
The president has suggested recently that he would be open to a quick vote to simply dismiss the charges, but sufficient Republican support is lacking for that. Still, an eventual vote to acquit Trump is considered highly likely.Republican senator Susan Collins is leading an effort among some Republicans, including Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski and Lamar Alexander, to consider Senate witnesses.
She told reporters she was satisfied the rules will allow votes on that.
Senator Romney said he wants to hear from John Bolton, the former national security adviser at the White House, who others have said raised alarms about the alternative foreign policy toward Ukraine being run by Mr Giuliani.
Any four senators could force an outcome. Republicans control the chamber, 53 to 47, but it takes just 51 votes during the trial to approve rules or call witnesses. It also would take only 51 senators to vote to dismiss the charges against Mr Trump.
The president's team expects acquittal with a Senate trial lasting no more than two weeks, according to senior administration officials.
That would be far shorter than the trial of President Bill Clinton, in 1999, or the first one, of President Andrew Johnson, in 1868. Both were acquitted.
The seven-member prosecution team is led by the chairmen of the House impeachment proceedings, Democratic congressmen Adam Schiff of the Intelligence Committee and Jerrold Nadler of the Judiciary Committee, two of Ms Pelosi's top lieutenants.
On Wednesday, Mr Schiff released new records from Mr Parnas about the Ukraine strategy, including an exchange with another man about surveilling later-fired US Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch.
Mr Schiff said the new evidence should bring more pressure on Senator McConnell, who prefers swift acquittal.
The White House has instructed officials not to comply with House subpoenas for testimony and documents.
Mr Schiff said the challenge is to get a fair trial.
"It shouldn't be a challenge — if the senators are really going to live up to their oath to be impartial, they'll want a fair trial. That's obviously not where Mitch McConnell is coming from," he said.
Chief Justice John Roberts, who is mandated under the constitution to serve as presiding officer, administered the oath to senators on Thursday.
"Do you solemnly swear that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of Donald John Trump, president of the United States, now pending, you will do impartial justice according to the constitution and laws, so help you God?" he said.
The senators, at their desks, responded and then were called up to sign the oath book.
Mr Roberts, who has long insisted judges are not politicians, is expected to serve as a referee for the proceedings rather than an active participant. Senators will ultimately render the verdict.
Opening arguments are to begin next Tuesday.
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