Adam Schiff's Parody Reading of Trump Ukraine Transcript
Purpura goes afterward Schiff'due south parody of Trump's July 25 phone call
In his opening, White House deputy counsel Mike Purpura went directly later on Rep. Adam Schiff, the lead Firm impeachment manager and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, by playing the video of Schiff reading the record of Trump's July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Purpura derided Schiff for his mocking interpretation of the phone call during a House Intelligence Committee hearing concluding September, which Schiff said was "in essence" and "in sum and character" of what the president was asking the Ukrainian president.
The White House'southward five-page description of the phone call shows that Trump asked Zelenskiy to "look into" the family of possible 2020 rival Joe Biden. Trump besides said the words, "I would like yous to do u.s. a favor, though" — which appears to involve discovering whether Ukraine might possess a server that contained some of old presidential candidate Hillary Clinton'southward deleted emails. Though it was non explicit, Trump also appears to necktie the honor of aid to Ukraine to Zelenskiy'south willingness to cooperate with Trump.
But Purpura told the chamber that Schiff'due south retelling was "imitation" and that Senators should focus on the actual reading of the transcript in which Purpura said there was no link between investigations and withholding security assist.
"That's fake, that'south non the real call," he said. "That's not the evidence here, that's not the transcript Mr. Cipollone but referenced."
He added, "We tin can shrug it off and say we were making light and making a joke...Allow's stick with the evidence, allow's talk about the facts in this case."
During his endmost on Friday, Schiff said he expected this line of assault from Trump's team.
"I discovered something very significant by mocking the president and that is for a man who loves to mock others, he does not like to be mocked. As it turns out, he's got a pretty thin skin. Who would take thought information technology?" Schiff said. "Never mind that I said I wasn't using his words before I said, and I wasn't using his words afterwards I said it, and I said I was making a parody of his words — 'Information technology's an outrage! He mocked the president, that Schiff! Terrible!'"
Cipollone: Democrats trying to 'interfere' in the election
Cipollone opened Trump'south defense Saturday arguing that House managers are asking senators to "remove" Trump from the general election ballot.
"As House managers, their goal should be to give you all of the facts, because they're request you to practise something very, very consequential and I would submit to you, to use a word Schiff used a lot, very, very dangerous," Cipollone said, adding, "They're request you to remove President Trump from the ballot in an election that'due south occurring in approximately nine months, they're asking you to tear up all of the ballots across the land on your ain initiative — accept that determination abroad from the American people and I don't recall they spent ane infinitesimal of their 24 hours talking about the consequences of that for this country."
"They didn't tell you lot what that would mean for our state, today, this year, and forever into our future," he continued, saying that the managers are request senators to "tear up all the ballots" with Trump's name on them.
Cipollone said Saturday's presentation will have between ii and 3 hours and that Trump's defense does not plan to employ all of their allotted 24 hours.
"You volition find the president did absolutely nothing wrong," Cipollone said, echoing the Trump'due south frequent defense force.
What to expect from Trump's defense
Here's what to await from Trump's defense force team:
What y'all'll hear Sat
A "coming attractions" preview of the president's defense case. Equally we've reported, sources shut to the president want to make certain they get at least some of their messaging out there, merely they're as well cognizant of the weekend'southward lower ratings. It's why you lot'll see a off-white corporeality of repetition Monday. White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow will likely handle much of the presentation, though you lot could see others. Simply a source on the team says the bulk of the arguments will occur Monday. That'due south when we expect Dershowitz, Starr, and others to make their presentations.
Will they become to Tuesday?
Information technology'south possible, but at this indicate we are not betting big on it. A senior administration official and Republican leadership source tell NBC News that arguments are likely to last roughly 10 hours (a few Sabbatum and the rest Mon). Caveat: things could still change, as the defense team is reserving the correct to go longer if they feel it'southward needed.
How will Parnas recording impact arguments?
A source on the president's legal team said he doesn't believe this new reporting of Trump apparently talking to Lev Parnas in an sound recording would have "any impact" on their team's instance. Note: NBC News has not heard the unabridged audio recording and is working to obtain it; it'south also unclear whether the audio published by ABC News has been edited.
POTUS call 'perfect'?
Asked if the defense force would include Trump'due south assertions that his call with the president of Ukraine was "perfect," the source on the legal team said part of the defense force would be that the president "didn't do anything wrong, and that is clear from the transcript of the call." The source clarified that the defense force won't exist "limited just to the transcript of the call," but it will be a "key" slice of prove because that's the "primary" matter Democrats have "based their case on."
Joe Biden
Asked how much the Trump team is planning to talk well-nigh Joe Biden and specifically why it was relevant for the president to bring up Biden to the Ukrainians, a source on the president'southward legal team said they wouldn't get into details of their strategy only added that it "became quite credible" in the House managers' presentation that they've "made it very relevant to the instance" and "spent a lot of time bringing the Bidens into this case," and the Trump legal volition address that.
Trump hints his defense squad will begin by attacking Democrats
Moments ahead of the start of his impeachment trial defense, Trump tweeted: "Our instance against lyin', cheatin', liddle' Adam "Shifty" Schiff, Cryin' Chuck Schumer, Nervous Nancy Pelosi, their leader, dumb as a rock AOC, & the entire Radical Left, Do Zero Democrat Party, starts today at 10:00 A.K. on @FoxNews, @OANN or Imitation News @CNN or Fake News MSDNC!"
It'south a clear sign that the president's defense will rely heavily on criticizing prominent Democrats.
The tweet comes later Business firm managers spent three days pressing their case that Trump should be institute guilty and removed from part over his efforts to push button Ukraine to probe the Bidens and Democrats as he withheld virtually $400 million in armed services assist and an official White House visit for Ukraine's president, as well equally his obstruction of Congress' investigation into the thing.
Democrats tweeted alee of Saturday's proceedings, too.
"Equally we head into today's arguments, I implore the White House counsel to present a substantive argument as to why the President shouldn't be impeached," Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., tweeted. "Don't continue to insult the land by saying he did nothing wrong."
"Conducting this impeachment trial is one of our biggest responsibilities equally senators," Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., posted. "Allow's focus on the facts. Let's focus on the law. Let's ensure this is a off-white trial—and that we deliver fair and impartial justice."
Who is Dmytro Firtash? The homo linked to $1 meg loan to Giuliani ally has a shadowy past
In September, one month earlier Lev Parnas was indicted on entrada finance charges, his married woman received wire transfers from a bank account in Russia.
The sum was $1 million, and the source was a lawyer for Dmytro Firtash, according to a court filing by U.S. prosecutors.
Firtash, a Ukrainian oligarch who made a fortune in the natural gas trade, is perhaps the most enigmatic effigy in the scandal that has played a central role in President Donald Trump'south impeachment.
A billionaire with alleged ties to the Russian mob, Firtash is facing bribery-related charges in the U.S. and fighting extradition from Vienna. He once attempted to buy and redevelop the famous Drake Hotel in New York with the now-incarcerated Paul Manafort, Donald Trump'southward former campaign chairman. And he's seen by Ukrainian anti-corruption activists and Western governments every bit a decadent instrument of Russia.
Read the full story.
House Dems to deliver 28,000 pages of their trial record to Senate
The managers programme to evangelize their trial tape for the official senate record this morn around ix:thirty.
It'southward more than than 28,000 pages.
GOP senators incensed by Schiff 'caput on a pike' remark at impeachment trial
Senate Republicans said atomic number 82 impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff insulted them during the trial on Friday night by repeating an anonymously sourced written report that the White House had threatened to punish Republicans who voted against President Donald Trump.
Schiff, who delivered closing arguments for the prosecution, was property Republican senators rapt as he chosen for removing Trump from part for abusing his ability and obstructing Congress. Doing annihilation else, he argued, would be to let the president bully Senate Republicans into ignoring his force per unit area on Ukraine for political assist.
"CBS News reported concluding night that a Trump confidant said that key senators were warned, 'Vote against the president and your head will be on a superhighway.' I don't know if that's true," Schiff said.
Later that remark, the generally respectful mood in the Senate immediately changed. Republicans across their side of the chamber groaned, gasped and said, "That'due south not true." One of those key moderate Republicans, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, looked directly at Schiff, shook her head and said, "Not truthful."
Read what else Republican senators said.
Trump'south team plans to kick off arguments with discussion of Biden, Burisma and Steele dossier
President Donald Trump's defense team on Saturday morn will begin the first of up to iii days — 24 hours maximum — to make their case confronting the manufactures of impeachment.
The session begins at 10 a.thousand., and Trump's lawyer Jay Sekulow told reporters said it will only go for three hours, proverb it volition be a "a trailer, kind of a coming attractions" alee of the trial resuming on Monday.
We do not wait Ken Starr or Alan Dershowitz to speak during Saturday's session, but Sekulow said Friday that the defence plans to discuss Biden, Burisma and the origins of the Steele dossier during their arguments.
Democrats hope they persuaded these Republicans to back impeachment witnesses
The Business firm managers have finished up their opening arguments in their case against President Donald Trump — but it'south notwithstanding unclear whether they'll be able to nowadays whatsoever new evidence.
"Every day more and more than of the public is watching," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday. "I am more hopeful than ever that iv conscientious brave Republicans will come forwards and tell (Senate Majority Leader) Mitch McConnell you can't close this down without witnesses, you can't shut this downwardly without documents."
With the GOP property a 53-47 bulk in the Senate, Democrats would need at to the lowest degree four Republicans to cross party lines in lodge to exist able to telephone call witnesses or subpoena documents in the third presidential impeachment trial in American history.
Here'due south a look at some of the Senate Republicans who could cross party lines and where they stand.
Article Two - Making History
Today on Article Two, Steve Kornacki talks to Kasie Hunt, Capitol Hill correspondent and host of Kasie DC, about the decision of opening arguments from House managers, and her exclusive interview with the showtime women to concur this role.
The ii discuss:
- How Representatives Zoe Lofgren, Val Demmings and Sylvia Garcia approached their position as House managers
- How Senate politics have inverse since the last Presidential impeachment trial
- How the House managers are reflecting on this moment in American political history
Mind hither.
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/live-blog/trump-impeachment-trial-live-coverage-president-s-defense-begins-n1122651/ncrd1122836
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