Top Senate Democrat Schumer says chamber must conduct fair impeachment trial of Trump

[January 04, 2020]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said on Friday that the Senate must conduct a fair impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, with relevant witnesses and documents presented.

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) departs the Senate floor after his remarks, in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. January 3, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Speaking on the Senate floor, Schumer said there had never been an impeachment trial "in which the Senate was denied the ability to hear from witnesses." He called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to commit to call witnesses ahead of the start of the trial.

A few minutes earlier, McConnell had told the Senate that the structure of Trump's impeachment trial should track with that of former President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial two decades ago, with "midtrial" questions such as witnesses only addressed after other relevant motions.

(Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Bill Berkrot)

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