***Live Updates*** Trump Impeachment Trial: Democrats Begin Opening Arguments

Adam Schiff (Senate TV / Getty)
Senate TV / Getty

Democrats will have 24 hours over the next three days for their opening arguments in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate.

Opening arguments are set to start at 1 PM ET on Wednesday.

Stay tuned to Breitbart News for live updates. All times eastern.

9:43 PM: Senate adjourns until 1 PM ET on Thursday.

9:35 PM: Schiff predicts more emails and witnesses will come out and asks the Senators if they want to know the full truth now rather than later. He says the “full truth” about the “scheme” and “corruption” will come out. He goes over the factual chronology and says tomorrow will be all about Trump’s abuse of power.

8:50 PM: Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) now up, says even before Trump’s freeze on the aid to Ukraine became public, Congress started to become concerned. She says when news of the frozen aid broke, congressional scrutiny increased. She says Sens., including Sens. Durbin, Shaheen, Portman, Blumenthal, and Johnson sent a letter to Mulvaney expressing “deep concerns” that the administration is considering not obligating the Ukraine security funds.

8:45 PM: Schiff describes Trump’s Ukraine “scheme” as “dirt for dollars.”

8:25 PM: Schiff asks Senators if they want to know what Sondland told Taylor they are going to want Taylor’s contemporaneous notes. “Demand those notes,” Schiff says. “Demand to see the truth.” He says they are “yours for the asking.”

8:00 PM: Schiff says if the Senators want to read the first-person cable from Bill Taylor, they could do something about it to get the document from the State Department.

7:24 PM: Schiff says Trump’s “handpicked representatives” escalated their attempts to get the Ukrainians to announce they were investigating the Bidens after Trump’s call with Ukraine’s president.

7:22 PM: Senate is back in session in prime time. Schiff says Democrats will speak for about 2 more hours.

6:35 PM: Senate takes a 30-minute dinner break.

6:25 PM: Roberts calls for order as people in the gallery start shouting…

5:55 PM: Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) says Trump’s call with Ukraine’s president was “far from perfect” and is proof that Trump wanted foreign interference in the 2020 election.

5:50 PM: Dems now repeating themselves over and over and over again about the quid pro quo:

5:35 PM: Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) says, as a former chief of police, it is interesting that Bolton characterized the “corrupt scheme” as a “drug deal.” She says Bolton was trying to send them a “powerful message” in a way “every person would understand.” Demings says Bolton can testify if the Senate issues a subpoena.

4:55 PM: Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) now talking a lot about himself and the importance of military aid to Ukraine….

4:20 PM: Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) accusing Giuliani of pushing Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. She says Giuliani was working as a private citizen and working with Trump’s knowledge and consent.

3:58 PM: Next up is Nadler to explain the Ukraine “scheme.” Murderer’s Row this ain’t.

Sekulow: “The good news is we only have 22 hours more to go of their side and we’ll go.”

3:20 PM: Schiff accuses Trump and his team of trying to destroy a “vital safeguard against tyranny” (the impeachment clause):

3:10 PM: Jennifer Rubin, one of the media’s favorite people “on the right.”

3:00 PM: Schiff says if Trump is not impeached, the Congress will send a message to future presidents that their personal interests can be above the nation’s.

2:45 PM: Quid Pro Quo, Russia, etc… like a broken record. Schiff also accuses Trump of using taxpayer dollars to strong-arm the Ukranians and “smear” Biden.

2:30 PM: Schiff tells Senators they have the full and complete power to request documents. He says a fair trial requires nothing less than hearing from witnesses.

1:55 PM: After accusing Trump of betraying his sacred oath of office and duty to put the country above himself, Schiff tells the Senators he will soon explain to them why the Founders put in the impeachment clause. A riveting explanation will likely follow…

1:35 PM: Sanders not in favor of witness swap:

1:32 PM: Schiff tells the Senators that the “weight of history” will be upon them as they decide whether to remove Trump from office.

1:30 PM: Schiff said he will start with a “factual chronology,” and he meant it.

1:15 PM: Schiff droning on and on about how Trump acted in a way that the Founders feared. Accuses Trump of trying to “cheat” in the 2020 election by withholding aid from Ukraine unless they announced they were investigating the Bidens.

1:10 PM: First up is Schiff, the House’s head impeachment manager. The Senate will take a short break after about two hours.

1:05 PM: Senators join Roberts in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as day two is about to begin.

12:50 PM: Chief Justice John Roberts has arrived to preside over the Senate. He will soon gavel in the second day of the impeachment trial.

12:45 PM: Schiff, again pushing for witnesses, making the point at a press conference that Trump’s team (Sekulow) conceded that the Senate is not a “court of appeals.” He says Democrats will begin the trial with a “factual chronology” because House Managers cannot assume Senators know all of the details.

Trump earlier called the trial “a total hoax” and “a disgrace.”

Schumer claims Trump’s team was “unprepared” last night as he pushed amendment after amendment, keeping the Senate in session until 2 AM. Schumer refused McConnell’s offer to bundle all of the amendments.

One of the House Managers pouncing on Trump’s comments:

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