MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th January, 2020) The US Senate heard the opening arguments of President Donald Trump's defense lawyers, which centered on stating that the president did nothing wrong, as the historic impeachment trial entered its fifth day on Saturday.
"In fact we believe that when you hear the facts, and that's what we intend to cover today, the facts, you will find that the president did absolutely nothing wrong," Pat Cipollone, Trump's top lawyer, said on Saturday.
He launched his attack on the evidence provided by House Democrats during their opening arguments on Thursday and Friday, claiming that they lacked any conclusive proof.
These arguments were followed up during the two-hour session by deputy White House counsel Mike Purpura, who claimed that the entire case against the president rested on the speculation of one person.
"The Democrats' entire quid pro quo theory is based on nothing more than the initial speculation of one person, Ambassador Sondland," Purpura said.
Cipollone also warned of the implications of deposing President Trump ahead of the upcoming US elections, scheduled to take place in November.
Trump voiced his opinion on the trial on Saturday, claiming that the case brought against him should have never even been brought to the Senate.
"Any fair minded person watching the Senate trial today would be able to see how unfairly I have been treated and that this is indeed the totally partisan Impeachment Hoax that EVERYBODY, including the Democrats, truly knows it is. This should never be allowed to happen again!," the president said in a Tweet.
On December 18, Democrats in the House of Representatives impeached Trump on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Democrats claimed Trump requested that Ukraine investigate for corruption his political rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, by leveraging congressionally approved military assistance to Kiev.
Trump has repeatedly said he has broken no laws and characterized the impeachment as a hoax and a political witch hunt by Democrats to reverse the results of the 2016 presidential election.
