President Donald Trump's legal team will include former Harvard University law professor Alan Dershowitz and Ken Starr, the former independent counsel who led the Whitewater investigation into President Bill Clinton.
That's according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
The team will also include Pam Bondi, the former Florida attorney general.
Trump faces charges of abuse of power and obstructing Congress.
They stem from his pressure on Ukraine to investigate Democratic rivals.
ORIGINAL STORY:
The Chief justice of the United States has been sworn in to preside over President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.
He then swore in the entire Senate body with an oath to ensure "impartial justice'' as jurors for only the third such proceeding in U.S. history.
Earlier, Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, stood before the senators to read the formal charges against the president.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said new evidence reinforces the need for senators to call witnesses.
She warned them not to become “all the president's henchmen.”
The full trial will begin next week.
It's only the third such trial in American history.
Trump complained anew it was all a “hoax,” even as fresh details emerged about his efforts in Ukraine.
He is accused of pressuring the Ukrainians to investigate Democrat Joe Biden, while withholding military aid as leverage.
Trump expects acquittal in the Senate, though new evidence is raising fresh questions about his Ukraine efforts.
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Earlier, Pelosi announced the House prosecutors for the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.
They include Democrats Adam Schiff of California and Jerrold Nadler of New York, who led the House impeachment probe.
"Today is an important day because today is the day that we name the managers who go to the floor to pass the resolution to transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate. And later in the day, when we have our own Grossman that we march those articles of impeachment to the United States Senate."
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Trump was impeached last month on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
The charges stem from his pressure on Ukraine to investigate Democrats as he withheld security aid to the country.
Trump says he did nothing wrong.
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In a written statement, Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham says, "The only thing Speaker Pelosi has achieved with this sham, illegitimate impeachment process, is to prove she is focused on politics instead of the American people. She failed and the naming of these managers does not change a single thing."
Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-2) released the following statement:
“Essentially, this vote sends seven unprepared pro-impeachment folks over to the Senate in an attempt to make a solid case against the President,” said Congressman Amodei, “which probably explains why there have been additional efforts made by House Democrats over the last month to try and strengthen their argument. No disrespect to the managers selected by Speaker Pelosi today, but based on the case made over here, she’s sending these Members into the lion’s den.”
Meanwhile, House Democrats have released documents (shown below) they obtained from a close associate of President Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, including a handwritten note that mentions asking Ukraine's president to investigate “the Biden case.”
The documents were obtained as part of the current impeachment investigation.
They show Lev Parnas communicating with Giuliani and another attorney about the removal of U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch. Parnas received messages from a man who appeared to describe detailed surveillance of Yovanovitch while she was in Ukraine.
(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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