US senators approved on Tuesday procedures and timelines for former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial and moved to debate on the constitutionality of the process.
The resolution "providing for procedures concerning the article of impeachment against Donald John Trump, former President of the United States", S.Res.47, was adopted by a vote of 89-11.
The Senate will have on Tuesday four hours to debate whether Trump is subject to its jurisdiction. Then, unless the case is dismissed on constitutional grounds, each side - the House of Representatives managers and Trump’s lawyers - will be given 16 hours over two days to present their case.
There will be equal time for Senators’ questions and for closing arguments as well as an opportunity to hold deliberations if the chamber so chooses. Senators will afterwards vote on the Article of Impeachment and, if the former President is convicted by an unlikely two-thirds majority, will proceed to a verdict on whether he is "qualified to enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States."
Trump’s lawyers urge the Senate to dismiss as unconstitutional and "self-evidently wrong" allegations that former President had a role in the January 6 attack on the Capitol by his loyalists who sought to prevent the congressional certification of his election loss. The lawyers also argued that impeachment is designed to remove officials from office, hence does not apply.
