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Trump Impeachment Trial Moves to Closing Arguments

VOA News

   WASHINGTON - House lawmakers prosecuting the impeachment case against
   U.S. President Donald Trump and the president's defense team each have
   two hours Monday to make their closing arguments.

   The final outcome of the case seems secure, with Republicans holding a
   53-47 majority in the Senate and none indicating they plan to vote to
   remove Trump from office.

   House Democrats will still argue Monday that Trump abused his power by
   asking Ukraine to launch investigations that would benefit him
   politically, and that he obstructed Congress by directing members of
   his administration to not provide documents and testimony during
   subsequent probes of his actions.

   Trump's lawyers, and the president himself, argue he did nothing wrong
   and that his actions do not rise to the level of an impeachable
   offense.

   Later Monday, members of the Senate will be able to make their own
   views heard as they give speeches ahead of a planned final vote on
   Wednesday.

   Key Republican senators said Trump's request to Ukraine was wrong, but
   not significant enough to convict him on the charges brought by the
   House of Representatives.

   Trump has for months described as "perfect" his request last July to
   Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to investigate one of Trump's
   top 2020 challengers, former Vice President Joe Biden, and his son
   Hunter Biden's work for a Ukrainian natural gas company.

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