Trump Side "Impeachment Must Be Swiftly Dismissed"

Impeachment Hearing for Sangwon Intensifies a Day Before
Trump Legal Team Asserts Innocence Through Key Arguments
Conflict Expected Over Adoption of New Witnesses Including Bolton

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] As the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump scheduled for the 21st approaches, the White House, the Republican Party, and the opposing Democratic Party are intensifying their psychological warfare.

On the 20th (local time), President Trump's legal team submitted a brief to the Senate, arguing for the president's acquittal. The legal team emphasized, "The Senate should promptly reject the insufficient articles of impeachment and acquit the president." This stance aims to have the president's innocence determined as quickly as possible to reduce the burden on governance.

The brief is a response to the House prosecutors' submission of a 111-page article of impeachment on the 18th. The brief is similar in length, at 110 pages. This is the first official written material released by the White House during the impeachment process.

Through the brief, the legal team stated that the two charges applied by the House to President Trump?abuse of power and obstruction of Congress?are not subject to impeachment. They also argued that the constitutional threshold to remove the president from power was not met.

The legal team said regarding the abuse of power charge related to Trump's actions concerning Ukraine, "The Democratic Party's theory of abuse of power, which controls the House, is not an impeachable offense." The legal team particularly defined the impeachment process as an act opposing the Constitution and the democratic system.

Ahead of the trial starting on the 21st, a psychological battle between the Republicans and Democrats over witness adoption is expected. The first trial, expected to begin at 1 p.m. that day, is inevitably set for clashes over procedures and witness adoption.

The Democrats will push for the adoption of new witnesses and evidence, but the Republicans aim for a swift dismissal based on existing investigation content.

Especially sensitive is the decision on whether to adopt former White House National Security Council (NSC) advisor John Bolton as a witness. The Democrats are demanding the adoption of four witnesses, including Bolton, who could make negative statements about President Trump, as well as Mick Mulvaney, Acting White House Chief of Staff, Mulvaney's aide Robert Blair, and Michael Duffey, Deputy Director for National Security Programs at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). However, the Republicans controlling the Senate do not seem willing to allow this.

President Trump also expressed a hardline stance against new witness adoption through a tweet that day, stating, "The Democrats want to call witnesses in the Senate that they did not call in the House, but that will not happen." However, while passing the Senate impeachment requires a two-thirds majority of the entire Senate, witness adoption can be approved by a simple majority (51 seats).