AP
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., signs the resolution to transmit the two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to the Senate for trial on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020.
- The US House of Representatives passed a resolution Wednesday to send two articles of impeachment against President Trump to the Senate.
- It's unclear when the Senate impeachment trial will begin, but the rules have been set - and they include a provision that bars Senators from using smartphones or other electronics.
- "No use of phones or electronic devices will be allowed in the Chamber," the decorum guidelines document says, which was obtained by CNN. "All electronics should be left in the Cloakroom in the storage provided."
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
When dozens of United States Senators from all over the country converge on Capitol Hill for the impeachment trial of President Trump, they'll face a strict list of "decorum guidelines."
Prominent among them: No smartphone use in the Senate chamber during the trial.
"No use of phones or electronic devices will be allowed in the Chamber," the guidelines say. The decorum guidelines document was obtained by CNN this week, and it lists the rules for etiquette during the third impeachment trial ever held in US history.
Most of the rules are pretty standard stuff, like standing up when Supreme Court justices enter the Senate chamber and limited speech during the case.
But the smartphone and electronics rule stands out in the modern era, where our devices keep everyone connected all the time and the president in particular uses his smartphone to directly communicate via Twitter.
Associated Press
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., walks from the Senate Chamber after the delivery of the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump to Secretary of the Senate Julie Adams on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
The two articles of impeachment that were sent to the Senate on Wednesday charge that President Trump engaged in "high crimes and misdemeanors."
Both articles are directly related to claims that Trump made efforts to interfere with the 2020 election by strong-arming Ukraine. Trump is accused of withholding $400 million in aid and a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in exchange for Ukraine announcing a formal investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden.
Though Senators won't be able to broadcast to social media from the trial, the man at the center of the impeachment - President Trump - will assuredly be using Twitter.
Check out the full list of decorum guidelines from CNN right here.
