Thread by @BBuchman_CNS

Good morning. At noon ET, impeachment mgrs read the articles to the Senate. Then at 2PM ET, Chief Justice John Roberts is sworn in. After that, each senator (100 total) is sworn in. Trial kicks off in earnest next week. Today, stay tuned for coverage from @JackRodgersCNS and I.

@JackRodgersCNS Mitch McConnell from the Senate floor speaks on impeachment before talking trade deal: "The House’s time is over. The Senate’s time is at hand. It’s time for this proud body to honor our founding purpose."
@CourthouseNews

@JackRodgersCNS @CourthouseNews Chuck Schumer speaking on impeachment from the Sen. floor: “Hardly anything is more serious than powers outside the borders of the U.S. determining elections inside the US."

He continued:

"The best way for the Sen. to rise to the occasion would be to retire partisan consideration and have everyone agree on a fair trial," Schumer said. "For Ds and Rs to agree on relevant witnesses and documents, not run the trial with votes of a slim majority..."

Schumer cont: "[We shouldn't] define rising to the occasion as doing things 'my way' which is what the majority leader has done thus far but rather a real and honest bipartisan agreement on a point we all know must be confronted.

Schumer: "We must, we must, have documents in order to have a fair trial. A trial without witnesses is not a trial. A trial without documents is not a trial."

NOW: Chief Justice John G. Roberts is now being sworn in by the Senate president pro tempore Chuck Grassley.
@CourthouseNews
#ImpeachmentTrial

@CourthouseNews Senators, I attend the Senate in conformity with your notice for the purpose of joining with you for the trial of the President of the United States, Chief Justice Roberts says.
Now his hand up as Grassley reads the oath to him.

@CourthouseNews Chief Justice Roberts says he will uphold the oath to perform his duties as presiding officer. Grassley says, "God bless you."

Roberts now administering oath to lawmakers, all of whom have raised their hand.

@CourthouseNews The oath lawmakers take: "I solemnly swear that in all things appertaining to the trial of the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump, now pending, I will do impartial justice according to the Constitution and laws, so help me God."

@CourthouseNews Each lawmaker must sign a book affirming their pledge. They do so in groups of four.

@CourthouseNews McConnell presented the unanimous consent requests before Senate adjourned for the day. Trial kicks off on Jan 21. About those consent requests: they are largely administrative. McConnell set the deadline for Trump to respond to impeachment summons: Jan. 18 at 6PM.

Trial briefs will be due Jan. 18 by 5PM and if POTUS wants to file a trial brief, he has until Jan. 20 at noon to do so. Further, if House wishes to file a rebuttal brief, it must be filed by Jan 21.
@CourthouseNews

DEVELOPING:
courthousenews.com/ceremonious-or…

UPDATING: "Today it will be largely ceremonial but soon it will be constitutional,” Sen. Schumer said today. “Senators must do impartial justice. The weight of that oath will fall on our shoulders and our ability to honor it will be preserved in history.”
courthousenews.com/ceremonious-or…