Bid to ‘overturn poll’

Trump team goes on the offensive in impeachment opening

PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s lawyers have mounted an aggressive defence of his actions during opening arguments at his impeachment trial.

Slamming the process as politically motivated, White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Democratic prosecutors had hidden evidence during 22 hours of opening statements over the first three days of the trial. “We are going to confront them on the merits of their argument,” Mr Cipollone said.

“They have the burden of proof and they have not come close to meeting it. We intend to show you some of the evidence that they decided not to show you, and every time you see one of these pieces of evidence, ask yourself: why didn’t I see that in the last three days?

Why didn’t they (Democrats) show that to the Senate?”

The defence rebuttal also focused on a 2019 phone call central to the case, in which Democrats accuse Mr Trump of threatening to withhold military aid unless Ukraine probed his political rival.

Prosecutors argue this conversation shows Mr Trump used his position to push for foreign interference in the 2020 election. The second article of impeachment, obstruction of Congress, alleges Mr Trump tried to stymie investigations into his dealings with newly installed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Mr Trump’s defence told the Senate trial that Ukraine was not aware the aid was being withheld and that it had been paid. “We know there was no quid pro quo on the call, we know that from the transcript (of the July call),” Deputy White House counsel Michael Purpura said.

Mr Cipollone said in his opening argument: “They’re asking you not only to overturn the results of the last election, but as I’ve said before, they’re asking you to remove President Trump from an election that’s occurring in approximately nine months.”