Next in the Trump impeachment trial: 16 hours of questions. How that will work

Bart Jansen
USA TODAY
Published 3:00 a.m. ET Jan. 29, 2020


WASHINGTON – Several senators have skirted the rules by furtively passing notes to each other during President Donald Trump's impeachment trial.

With Trump's team finished with its opening statements, which wrapped up Tuesday, senators will actually be encouraged to pass notes, but not to each other.

Instead, they'll be passing them to Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, and, as the trial moves into its next phase, it will be the only way they are allowed to communicate their questions to the House impeachment managers and Trump's legal team.

Under the procedural rules adopted in a marathon 11-hour session on the first day of the trial, senators will get 16 hours to ask questions. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the question period will be split up into two eight-hour sessions that will take place Wednesday and Thursday beginning at 1 p.m.

More:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/01/29/donald-trump-impeachment-trial-senators-get-chance-ask-questions/4562939002/