Even Trump's strongest Republican allies are praising House Democrats' impeachment presentation
- House Democrats spent this week hammering President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial and laying out a mountain of "overwhelming" evidence to prove he abused his power and obstructed Congress.
- Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida praised Democrats' impeachment presentation and skewered Trump's defense as looking like an "eighth-grade book report" in comparison.
- Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina congratulated lead impeachment manager Adam Schiff on his delivery and said Schiff was "well-spoken" and did "a good job."
- Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana told reporters during the first day of the prosecution's opening arguments that the evidence itself was news to many senators.
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House Democrats took center stage on Friday for the last portion of their opening arguments in President Donald Trump's historic impeachment trial in the Senate.
Over three days, impeachment managers - House lawmakers who act as prosecutors in Trump's trial - laid out the president's months-long campaign to pressure Ukraine into launching politically motivated investigations targeting his rivals while withholding vital military aid and a White House meeting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky desperately wanted.
In addition to detailing the president's actions at the center of the scheme, they also outlined how he, his associates, and White House lawyers tried to cover up evidence of his alleged misconduct.
Trump's Republican allies in Congress maintain that he did nothing wrong and that he was justified in asking Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a 2020 Democratic frontrunner, while freezing the security assistance.
But as the impeachment managers make their case against the president, even Trump's staunchest defenders have acknowledged the effectiveness of Democrats' strategy.
Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida told Politico this week the impeachment managers presented their case to the public as if it were "cable news," and he praised their use of multimedia.
Meanwhile, the defense team's case looked like "an eighth-grade book report," Gaetz said. "Actually, no, I take that back," he said, adding that an eighth-grader would know how to use PowerPoint and iPads.
Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana told reporters during the first day of the prosecution's opening arguments that the evidence itself was news to many senators.
"Nine out of 10 senators will tell you they haven't read a full transcript of the proceedings in the House," Kennedy said. "And the 10th senator who says he has is lying."
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of Trump's biggest defenders, praised lead House impeachment manager Adam Schiff after the first day of opening arguments.
"Good job," Graham told Schiff. "You're very well-spoken."
Graham also told CNN he spoke to the president that night. When CNN's Manu Raju asked Graham what Trump thought of the trial, Graham said the president told him he found it boring.
"He doesn't like what they say about him," Graham said. He added that Trump also told him he thought Schiff did a bad job, but Graham pushed back and told the president, "No, I thought he actually did a pretty good job."
Trump was impeached last month for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Schiff, a former prosecutor, is spearheading the Democrats' team of impeachment managers.
They will finish making their opening arguments on Friday evening. Trump's lawyers will mount a defense beginning Saturday morning at 10 a.m. ET.