Iran Press/America: At this point, Senate members will have a total of 16 hours in the next two days to ask questions from House managers and the White House team of lawyers, ahead of a crucial vote later in the week on whether to call witnesses.
The questions, which will alternate between Republican and Democratic senators, will be submitted in writing and read aloud by US Chief Justice John Roberts, who is presiding over the trial to determine whether Trump should be removed from office.
There is no time limit on the answers, which cannot be challenged by senators.
One of Donald Trump's impeachment lawyers argued every action taken by a sitting president is in the interests of the country – even if carried out mostly to win re-election.
"If the president does something that he thinks will help him get elected, in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment," Alan Dershowitz told senators.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz had asked Dershowitz if a commander in chief ordering a quid pro quo is legally appropriate.
"Every public official I know believes that his election is in the public interest," Dershowitz replied.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff of California, Democrats' lead impeachment manager, later furrowed his brow and called Dershowitz's theory "very odd".
Dershowitz's argument is part of a broader Trump team claim that the president did nothing wrong in his Ukraine policy efforts – and even if he did, his actions were not impeachable.
Democrats, however, have based their case on the opposite. During the trial, chiff and his Democratic colleagues have argued Trump's power abuse was an attempt to "steal" November's presidential election.
There is a dispute among senators over whether or not witnesses should be present at the testimony and it is unlikely to be resolved at Wednesday's hearing.
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