Donald Trump Seeks Rapid Exoneration After The Impeachment

Donald Trump pressed his Republican associates to exert rigid control of his Senate trial and ensure a swift exoneration, a day after he was impeached in a historic rebuke by the House of Representatives. A fight over the trial will begin in the second week of January, with Senate leaders already drawing battle lines over the evidence that will be allowed.

Trump is charged with the exploitation of office and obstruction of Congress. The Democrats, are threatening to delay sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate till they are reassured the process will be fair.

The House voted to charge Trump with abuse of power for pressuring Ukraine's president to investigate his potential White House challenger in 2020, the veteran Democrat Joe Biden.

The Lawmakers approved a second article of impeachment, obstruction of the congressional investigation into his Ukraine dealings. The vote leaves a permanent blot on Trump's legacy -- one that he appeared determined to mask with exoneration by the Senate.

The Senate Republicans have a 53-47 majority -- conviction and removal would require a two-thirds guilty vote on either charge. The House needs to transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate for the case to be taken up.

But Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker recoiled at instantly transmitting them stating she wants to comprehend what the parameters of the trial will be before naming House managers who will prosecute the case.

After the vote, Democrats began pushing for 4 current and former White House assistants with direct knowledge of Trump's Ukraine dealings to testify. In a floor speech, McConnell ridiculed the witness demand and the evidence used as the basis for the impeachment articles.

He suspects Democrats of a "partisan crusade" and said they lead the "most rushed, the least detailed and most unfair impeachment inquiry." McConnell urged fellow jurors to exonerate Trump. But top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer criticized him for prejudging the case and rejecting the call for witnesses.