Trump impeachment: Here's what happens next

Published Jan 20, 2020

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Washington - Here is what to look out for

next as the proceedings advance in US President Donald Trump's

impeachment trial in the Senate:

January 20

* The House has until noon (1700 GMT) to file its reply to

Trump's response to the Senate trial summons.

* Trump has until noon (1700 GMT) to file a trial brief that

would contain detailed arguments and materials from his lawyers.

Starting January 21

* If the White House has filed a trial brief on behalf of

Trump, the House has until noon (1700 GMT) to file a rebuttal

brief if it so chooses.

* The trial resumes at 1 p.m. (1800 GMT) and is expected to

continue six days a week, with the exception of Sundays.

* A vote could be held sometime during January 21 on Senate

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's proposed rules governing the

first phase of the trial, which would leave open the option of

voting later on whether witnesses would testify and new evidence

could be introduced.

* Democrats are expected to try to amend McConnell's rules

to stipulate that witnesses must be called, possibly leading to

extended debate over the rules of the trial.

* Once the rules governing the trial have been adopted,

Democratic House "managers" who form the prosecution team

would begin to present their case against Trump. It is unclear

whether that will start on Jan. 21 or slip to the next day. When

the House managers have finished, the president's team will

respond with its opening arguments. The arguments are expected

to take several days to present, with the senators, sitting as

jurors, listening.

* Following the opening arguments, senators would be given

time to submit questions to each side.

Late January to early February

* Democrats are expected to continue pushing to hear from

witnesses during the trial. If McConnell's resolution on initial

trial rules is adopted, as expected, senators would likely vote

some time after the trial has started on whether to introduce

witness testimony sought by the Democrats.

February 4

* Trump is scheduled to deliver the annual State of

the Union address to a joint session of Congress.

Reuters

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