Democrats say Trump 'worked hard' on Ukraine cover-up, shows no remorse

'TOUGH SELL'

The president is expected to be acquitted in the Senate, where a two-thirds vote is required to convict and remove a president from office. No Republican senator has voiced any support for his ouster.

Senator Rick Scott told reporters on Friday the House managers prosecuting the case had "done a poor job," while his Republican colleague Senator Mike Braun said Democrats were trying to build a circumstantial case that was a "tough sell."

Trump and other Republicans also accused the Democrats of wasting time with repetitive and partisan arguments.

"The Do Nothing Democrats just keep repeating and repeating, over and over again, the same old 'stuff' on the Impeachment Hoax. They want to use up ALL of their time, even though it is the wrong thing to do. They ought to go back to work for our great American people!" the president tweeted.

Once Democrats conclude their opening arguments, Trump's legal team will have up to 24 hours over three days to mount a defense. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Saturday's session would begin at 10 am ET (1500 GMT) and run for several hours.

Democrats have focused their attention on a small group of Republican moderates they believe might support their efforts to bolster their case against Trump with the inclusion of new witness testimony and additional evidence.

"This is a heavy moment. And you don't know how this sense of constitutional and historical responsibility weighs on the shoulders," Senator Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the chamber, said before the resumption of the trial.

"We know we'll never get Trump," he added. "But four Republican senators can step forward and say that we need witnesses and documents. And there are 12 or 13 who have never said a bad word about witnesses and documents."

Administration officials who refused to comply with subpoenas included Vice President Mike Pence, White House acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Former national security adviser John Bolton refused a request by the House to testify.

Democrats sought to have Bolton testify in the trial, but senators voted along party lines on Tuesday against calling all of the Democrats' proposed witnesses.

- Reuters