Chief Justice John Roberts administered an “oath of impartiality” to members of the U.S. Senate ahead of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.
Both of Georgia’s senators joined their colleagues for the historic proceedings; Trump is only the third U.S. president to be impeached and face potential removal from office.
Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Sen. David Perdue sat on one side of the room with Republicans; Democrats on the other side. It is unlikely that enough Republicans will side with Democrats to reach the two-thirds vote required for Trump to lose his job.
House Democrats have said they will introduce additional evidence that surfaced after a December vote to impeach Trump in hopes of strengthening their case for Trump's removal. That will likely include a report from the Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan watchdog agency, that said the White House violated the law by withholding aid to Ukraine.
That decision to freeze U.S. security dollars earmarked for the Ukraine became central to the House impeachment investigation.
During today’s Senate session, members officially receiving the articles of impeachment from the House. U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, flanked by the other impeachment managers who will serve as prosecutors during the trial, read aloud the two charges against Trump.
Afterward, each of the senators signed an "oath book" attesting that they will uphold the Constitution and U.S. laws throughout the trial scheduled to begin Tuesday at 1 p.m.
Loeffler is so new to the Senate, her name wasn’t originally on the chart showing where members will sit. Her name was handwritten on copies of the seating chart shared with the media in a space where retired U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson’s name had been whited-out.
During today’s session, the Senate signed off on sending a summons to Trump to appear for trial. The House has a Saturday deadline to submit its brief outlining the case against the president. Trump’s deadline is Monday at noon to respond, and the House can submit a rebuttal by noon Tuesday.
Everyone stood as Chief Justice Roberts was sworn in. The he swore in the Senators. They all raised their right hands and said, “I do.” Now they are coming up in groups of 4 to sign the oath book. Here is Sen. Loeffler signing. pic.twitter.com/DoX8oDgguA
— Tia Mitchell, AJC’s Washington Correspondent (@ajconwashington) January 16, 2020
One last nugget. This seating chart was apparently created before Sen. Loeffler was sworn in. An older version had Isakson listed. Now her name has been written in, per copies shared with the media pic.twitter.com/O7T2Z1RnbZ
— Tia Mitchell, AJC’s Washington Correspondent (@ajconwashington) January 16, 2020
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