Takeaways from the Judiciary Committee hearing

❚ Three witnesses called by Democrats – professors Noah Feldman of Harvard University, Pamela Karlan of Stanford University and Michael Gerhardt of the University of North Carolina – all asserted that President Donald Trump’s conduct rose to the level of an impeachable offense on more than one basis. They cited Trump’s call with Ukraine’s president and allegations of solicitation of a bribe, abuse of power and obstruction of justice. “If what we’re talking about is not impeachable, then nothing is impeachable,” Gerhardt said.

❚ The witness called by Republicans, professor Jonathan Turley George Washington University, criticized the speed and thoroughness of the impeachment process, although he acknowledged Trump’s behavior was far from perfect. Turley warned that cutting corners on impeachment now could make future presidents more vulnerable to the effort in the future. Impeachment is “not wrong because President Trump is right,” he said. “... No, it is wrong because this is not how you impeach an American president.”

❚ Republicans maintained their objections to impeachment procedure, but the motions were voted down by Democrats, who hold the majority.

❚ Republicans attacked the witnesses, with some calling them biased in Twitter posts. Rep. Doug Collins, R- Ga., top Republican on the committee, downplayed the expertise of the witnesses, all of whom are constitutional law experts.

Rep. Jerry Nadler, D- N. Y. The framers of the Constitution “feared one threat above all: foreign interference in our elections.” House Judiciary Committee Chairman