In final arguments for President Donald Trump's impeachment trial, House prosecutors unleashed a last verbal fusillade over his actions on Ukraine, bluntly telling Senators that if his efforts to press Ukraine to launch investigations of a domestic political rival go unpunished, the President will be willing to do it again to win in 2020.
"History will not be kind to Donald Trump," said lead House prosecutor Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), as he warned GOP Senators that they would be held accountable.
"Your name will be tied to his with a cord of steel, and for all history," Schiff said in his final summary on the Senate floor.
"I submit to you on behalf of the House of Representatives that your duty demands that you convict President Trump," said Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), who opened with quotes from Daniel Webster's famous speech of March 7, 1850.
"In America, no one is above the law, even those elected President of the United States," Crow added.
Before breaking for lunch, House prosecutors again ran through some of the evidence against the President, accusing him of engaging in a 'massive cover up,' proven by his refusal to turn over documents or let top White House officials testify.
"Innocent people don't try to hide every document and witness," said Rep. Val Demings (D-FL). "That's what guilty people do."
The White House legal team had an opposite view of what was required of Senators.
“The only appropriate result here is to acquit the President, and leave it to the voters to choose their President,” said White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, who noted today's Iowa Caucuses.
“This is an effort to overturn the results of one election, and to try to interfere in the coming election that begins today in Iowa,” Cipollone added.
Back at the White House, President Trump had no public events, as he seemed to be paying attention during the first hour of Democratic arguments.
After final arguments, Senators will be able to take the floor over the next two days to debate the impeachment charges against President Trump.
Final votes on the two impeachment charges - abuse of power, and obstruction of Congress - have been set for 4 pm ET on Wednesday.
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