The impeachment trial of Donald Trump enters a new phase Wednesday. With opening arguments complete, senators will have the chance to ask questions—submitted in writing and read out by Chief Justice John Roberts—for 16 hours over two days.
On Tuesday, Roberts read a quote from then-Chief Justice William Rehnquist as he presided over the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton, suggesting that “the chair will operate on a rebuttable presumption that each question can be fully and fairly answered in five minutes or less.”
Individual senators have been submitting questions to their party leadership, with both Democratic and Republican leadership looking to avoid repetition and strategizing about the best grouping and order, while The New York Times reports that the House managers have been preparing for likely Republican questions, including personal attacks on Reps. Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler.
Some Republicans told the Times that they planned questions about the original whistleblower and about Rudy Giuliani. According to independent Sen. Angus King, “On the top of my mind is Professor Dershowitz’s assertion that abuse of power is not a sufficient criteria for impeachment.”
Wednesday’s questions will likely run eight hours, with a break after every 10 to 12 questions. The trial once again starts at 1 PM ET.