Deborah Chan
The impeachment hearings against Donald Trump began at 9 am on Wednesday, November 13, 2019, with William Taylor and George Kent testifying before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The hearings were televised and streamed online, with major news networks providing live coverage and analysis. The proceedings centred around Trump's dealings with Ukraine, including his alleged involvement in a shadow policy campaign and efforts to pressure the country into investigating his political opponents, specifically the Biden family. This week, eight witnesses were scheduled to testify, with three on Wednesday. The impeachment hearings were highly anticipated, as they presented an opportunity for the public to hear and consider whether Trump's actions towards Ukraine constituted impeachable offences.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | Wednesday, November 13, 2019 |
| Time | 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. |
| Witnesses | 3 |
| Opening Statements | Devin Nunes, Schiff, witnesses |
| Questioning | Each lawmaker gets 5 minutes |
| Additional Rounds | Possible |
| Participants | Daniel Goldman, Steve Castor, Gordon Sondland, David Holmes, Jennifer Williams, Rudy Giuliani, Alexander Vindman, William Taylor, George Kent, John Ratcliffe, Jim Himes, Adam Schiff |
| Subject | Impeachment of President Donald Trump |
| Reason | Trump's dealings with Ukraine |
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What You'll Learn
Witnesses testify
On Wednesday, three more witnesses are expected to testify, bringing the week's total to eight. The witnesses will be sworn in and deliver their opening statements, after which they will be questioned by lawmakers.
The witnesses include William Taylor, chargé d'affaires for Ukraine, and George Kent, deputy assistant secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs. They will be answering questions before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Taylor and Kent will be questioned about Trump's dealings with Ukraine, specifically his efforts to pressure the country into investigating a potential political opponent. They will also be asked about their knowledge of investigations into the Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma, and Joe and Hunter Biden.
Another witness, David Holmes, a member of Taylor's staff, has already testified behind closed doors. He revealed that Trump discussed the push for investigations during a cellphone call with the U.S. ambassador, Gordon Sondland. Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, is also set to appear publicly before the committee on Wednesday.
The witnesses' testimonies are expected to be emotional and revealing, providing insight into the impeachment inquiry and Trump's actions toward Ukraine. The hearings will be broadcast live on major cable news networks and streaming platforms, allowing the public to follow the proceedings and form their own opinions.
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Opening statements
The impeachment hearings against President Donald Trump began with opening statements from Rep. Devin Nunes of California, who called the hearing a "carefully orchestrated media smear campaign" by the Democrats. Nunes also accused the Democrats of engaging in closed-door hearings and staging the release of closed-door testimony, calling the process "horrifically one-sided". He further questioned why the Democrats were trying to impeach the President for inquiring about Hunter Biden's activities while refusing the GOP's request to have him appear.
Following Nunes' opening remarks, both Schiff and Nunes were expected to yield part of their time to their respective counsels, Daniel Goldman and Steve Castor, who have been involved in the private and public questioning of witnesses. The witnesses, including William Taylor, George Kent, and Jennifer Williams, were then sworn in and given the opportunity to deliver their own opening statements before providing their testimony.
The impeachment hearings against President Trump focused on his dealings with Ukraine, specifically his efforts to pressure the country to investigate his political rival, Joe Biden, and his son, Hunter Biden. The hearings also explored the involvement of other individuals, such as Rudy Giuliani and the US ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, in these matters.
The process of impeachment is a significant check on the executive branch by Congress, and it can lead to the nullification of an election. While impeachment is rare, it is important to uphold the constitutional system of checks and balances. The House, controlled by the Democrats, voted to approve the articles of impeachment, but the Senate, with a Republican majority, voted to acquit President Trump on both charges, allowing him to remain in office.
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Trump's Ukraine dealings
The impeachment hearings are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On Tuesday and Wednesday, a second set of hearings will begin at 2:30 p.m. Devin Nunes of California will kick off the hearings with opening statements, followed by witness testimonies and further questioning.
Donald Trump was impeached twice during his first term, but the Senate voted to acquit him on both occasions. Trump's impeachment hearings in 2019 revolved around his dealings with Ukraine. Trump was accused of abusing his power by soliciting interference from a foreign country, Ukraine, in the 2020 election.
Trump was alleged to have urged Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to investigate former US Vice-President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, who worked for a Ukrainian energy company. Trump withheld military aid to Ukraine, offering a quid pro quo in the hope of finding dirt on a political rival. Witnesses, including Vindman, who was on the July 25 phone call, and Jennifer Williams, a career foreign service officer at the State Department, testified that Trump's call for investigations into the Bidens struck [them] as unusual and inappropriate.
Trump's administration also pushed for investigations into a Ukrainian natural gas company, Burisma, and alleged Ukrainian interference in the 2016 US election. Trump's top diplomat to Ukraine, Bill Taylor, testified that aid to Ukraine and a Trump-Zelenskyy White House meeting were conditional on these investigations. Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, was also implicated in the scandal, as it was revealed that he pressed the Ukrainian administration to investigate the Bidens.
The House Intelligence Committee published a report detailing that "President Trump, personally and acting through agents within and outside of the U.S. government, solicited the interference of a foreign government, Ukraine, to benefit his reelection." Despite the evidence, Trump denied any wrongdoing and referred to the impeachment as a witch hunt.
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Impeachment process
Impeachment is the most powerful check that Congress has on the executive branch. While impeachment is rare, it has happened a few times in American history.
Any member of the House can introduce articles of impeachment against the president or a federal officer. The House can also begin the impeachment process based on an investigation. The House Judiciary Committee typically conducts the investigation, holding hearings and deciding if the charges against the official warrant impeachment. If the House approves one or more articles of impeachment by a simple majority vote, the official is considered impeached.
In the case of the impeachment hearings against President Donald Trump, the House Intelligence Committee heard from several witnesses, including William Taylor, George Kent, and Jennifer Williams. The hearings were televised and streamed live on various news networks and media companies.
After the House impeaches an official, the process moves to the Senate, where a trial is held to determine if the official should be removed from office. The Senate trial of President Trump was highly partisan, and he was ultimately acquitted on both impeachment charges.
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Public opinion
The public nature of the impeachment hearings is likely to shape public opinion further. Democrats are hoping to garner more public support for impeachment by putting the testimonies in full public view. The hearings will be broadcast live on television and streamed online, making them widely accessible to Americans.
The impact of the hearings on public opinion will depend on the substance of the testimonies and the effectiveness of each side's arguments. It remains to be seen whether the hearings will result in a shift in public opinion or further entrench existing partisan divisions.
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Frequently asked questions
The impeachment hearings are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
Three witnesses are slated to testify on Wednesday. These include William Taylor, George Kent, and Gordon Sondland.
The hearings will air live on all major cable news networks and on nearly all local broadcast channels. Viewers can also stream the hearings live on the network's apps and websites, as well as on YouTube.
