"What we have seen over the last couple days is a descent into constitutional madness," Impeachment Manager Rep. Adam Schiff of California said on the floor of the U.S. Senate on Thursday.
That was the response to a legal argument put forward this week by Trump attorney Alan Dershowitz, who effectively said the president could do almost anything to benefit himself politically because his re-election is in the public's interest.
"We had a president who said well, when the president does it, that means it is not illegal. That of course was Richard Nixon. Watergate is now 40 to 50 years behind us. Have we learned nothing in the last half-century?" Schiff said. "That is the normalization of lawlessness."
President Donald Trump's defense strategies vary. For one, his attorneys say the timing is unfair.
"We've never been in a situation where we have the impeachment of a president in an election year, with the goal of removing the president from the ballot," Trump attorney Pat Cipollone said. "That is the most massive election interference we've ever witnessed."
Trump's team says the will of the people is on his side.
"The president's approval rating while we are sitting here in the middle of these impeachment proceedings have hit an all-time high," Trump attorney Eric Herschmann said.
But impeachment managers say the public wants a fair trial, which means calling witnesses like former national security advisor John Bolton, whose unpublished manuscript reportedly says that Trump acted corruptly.
Trump's team says the chance for witnesses has passed, and that the president would seek to call his own witnesses, leading to litigation and long delays.
"I will make an offer to opposing counsel, who have said that this will stretch on indefinitely if you decide to have a single witness," Schiff said. "Let's cabin the depositions to one week."
"You couldn't get all the witnesses you'd want in a week," Trump attorney Jay Sekulow said. "You couldn't get the discovery done in a week."
"Oh my god, we can't hear what John Bolton has to say. God forbid we should we hear what a relevant witness has to say. Hear no evil," Schiff said, mocking those who do not want to hear from Bolton.
A vote on whether to allow witnesses will likely take place Friday. It is increasingly unlikely Democrats will have enough votes, after Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee said Thursday night that he will vote against new witnesses. Alexander was considered a swing senator in voting for calling witnesses.
If the witness vote fails, it will likely be followed by an acquittal.
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FURTHER IMPEACHMENT COVERAGE
McConnell Allows House Evidence to be Included in Trump Impeachment Trial
Democrats Appeal for GOP to Help Convict Trump in Day 2 of Senate Impeachment Trial
Impeachment Managers Make Case for Convicting Trump for Abuse of Power
Sen. Gillibrand Speaks On the Impeachment Process Inside the Senate Chamber
Democrats Wrap Up Opening Arguments in Senate Impeachment Trial
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries's Star Is Rising as He Makes His Case in the Impeachment Trial
Trump's Legal Team Largely Ignores John Bolton Revelation as It Continues Defense Arguments
Trump Defense Team Says John Bolton Book Is 'Inadmissible' as Evidence