Trump has repeatedly said that the abuse of power and obstruction of Congress impeachment charges against him are a politically motivated attempt to discredit his presidency — a charge he tweeted again on Monday during the House managers' remarks.
The defense team argued Monday that Trump did not attempt to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rivals by holding up military aid last summer. The lawyers also blasted the House impeachment process, saying that Democrats did not follow the "rules" and were unfair to the president.
In sweeping remarks, Trump's lawyer, Ken Starr, quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and talked about freedom and justice. Starr is the former independent counsel whose investigation led to the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.
"The House of Representatives does under our Constitution enjoy the sole power of impeachment. No one has disputed that fact. They've got the power. But, that does not mean that anything goes," Starr said. "It doesn't mean that the House cannot be called into account."
Trump's personal lawyer, Jay Sekulow, said that impeachment had always been the endgame for Democrats. He played a video of various Democrats calling for impeachment since Trump's election.
After Monday's session, the Senate adjourned. The impeachment proceedings will begin again at 4 p.m. ET Wednesday, when senators are set to take a formal vote on the articles of impeachment. Trump's acquittal is nearly guaranteed, as 20 Republicans would have to join the Democratic caucus to vote against the president.
The lawyers' final pitches to senators on Monday followed a vote Friday to block witnesses and the introduction of new evidence into the trial.
Democrats had urged Republicans to consider bringing witnesses and evidence into the trial after news reports about bombshell allegations contained in a manuscript of former national security adviser John Bolton's forthcoming book. However, only two Republican senators joined Democrats, and the effort was defeated.
Schiff said Sunday that Democrats are considering issuing a subpoena to sit Bolton down in front of investigators in the House, where the impeachment inquiry is still open.
"Whether it's in testimony before the House, or it's in his book, or it's in one form or another, the truth will come out," Schiff said on CBS' "Face the Nation."
Prior to the House impeaching Trump, Democrats requested that Bolton appear before House lawmakers, but he refused, citing the White House's orders that former officials close to Trump not cooperate with impeachment investigators. House lawmakers said they did not subpoena Bolton then in order to avoid a drawn-out court battle.
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