Ahead of holidays, Senate hopes for fair, speedy impeachment trial

WASHINGTON — As President Donald Trump spends the holidays at his south Florida resort, Senate Democrats say all they want for Christmas is a fair and speedy impeachment trial.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer continues to pressure Senate Majority Republican Mitch McConnell to allow documents and White House witnesses in the Senate impeachment trial.

“If it doesn’t have documents and witnesses, it’s going to seem to most of the American people that it is a sham trial,” Schumer, D-New York, said.

Senator Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, said Senate rules should require a fair and impartial hearing of the case.

“To not even try to get the primary players in this corruption drama to come and give testimony I think is a total abdication of our responsibility,” Murphy said. “It’s just kind of amazing to me that McConnell would proudly telegraph to the country that he’s taking all of his marching orders from Donald Trump.”

But on Christmas Eve, President Trump said it’s the House Democrats who have been unfair throughout the proceedings.

“They didn’t give us due process. They didn’t give us a lawyer. They didn’t give us anything,” President Trump said. “Now, they come to the Senate and they want everything.”

President Trump said he’s counting on McConnell to provide him with a fair trial.

But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi still won’t say if or when she plans to send the Senate the articles of impeachment.

“Hopefully, it will be on the way over at some point,” McConnell said.

The House and Senate won’t return to Capitol Hill until after the New Year's holiday.