Senate impeachment trial opens with fight over rules, but GOP prevails

WASHINGTON – The Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump started Tuesday with partisan fighting over the rules governing the proceedings. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell insisted he was following historical precedent, while Democrats argued that the Republicans were furthering…

Sondland confirms quid pro quo in “seminal” fourth impeachment hearing

WASHINGTON – Gordon Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union, told House investigators Wednesday that President Donald Trump and other top administration officials sought a quid pro quo with Ukraine, tying military aid to an announcement of an…

Amidst “intimidating” tweets from Trump, envoy tells impeachment probe of ‘smear campaign’

WASHINGTON – As Marie Yovanovitch, ousted U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, testified before the House Intelligence Committee Friday as part of the impeachment inquiry, she was attacked on Twitter by President Donald Trump.  The historic moment was labeled by the panel’s…

White House Ukraine call summary “damning,” Hoyer, other Democrats, say

WASHINGTON – Democratic lawmakers escalated the partisan furor over the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump Wednesday after the White House released a summary of a phone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Democrats called “damning.” The president asked…

Maryland’s Hoyer contradicts Judiciary’s Nadler, then reverses course

WASHINGTON – House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Mechanicsville, reflected the Democrats’ muddled message on presidential impeachment in a press conference Wednesday, first saying the House is not currently conducting an inquiry, and later walking that back in a statement released…