The top Senate Republican on Thursday denounced the B次元官网网址渕ost unfairB次元官网网址� House impeachment of President Donald Trump and reassured Trump and his supporters that B次元官网网址渕oments like this are why the United States Senate exists.B次元官网网址�

Signalling in the strongest terms yet that the GOP-controlled Senate will acquit Trump, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky declared that the House impeachment B次元官网网址渞isks deeply damaging the institutions of American government.B次元官网网址�

As for what the Senate should do, the Kentucky Republican said, B次元官网网址淚t could not be clearer which outcome would serve the stabilizing, institution-preserving, fever-breaking role for which the United States Senate was created and which outcome would betray it.B次元官网网址�

McConnell described TrumpB次元官网网址檚 impeachment as B次元官网网址渢he most rushed, least thorough and most unfair impeachment inquiry in modern history.B次元官网网址�

Fighting back and using McConnellB次元官网网址檚 own words, Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York then said on the Senate floor that the Republican leader was plotting the B次元官网网址渕ost rushed, least thorough and most unfairB次元官网网址� impeachment trial in history by declining to agree to call witnesses including former Trump national security adviser John Bolton, who declined to testify before the House.

B次元官网网址淢cConnell claimed the impeachment was motivated by partisan rage,B次元官网网址� said Schumer. B次元官网网址淭his from the man who said proudly, B次元官网网址業 am not impartial.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲hat hypocrisy.B次元官网网址�

McConnell accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of being afraid to send B次元官网网址渢heir shoddy work product to the SenateB次元官网网址� after she threw uncertainty into the impeachment process late Wednesday by refusing to say when she would send two impeachment articles to the Senate for a trial.

READ MORE:

He said the Democratic-controlled House B次元官网网址渉as let its partisan rage at this particular president create a toxic new precedent that will echo well into the future.B次元官网网址�

The House impeached Trump on two chargesB次元官网网址攁busing his power and obstructing CongressB次元官网网址攕temming from his pressure on Ukraine to announce investigations of his political rival as he withheld U.S. aid

McConnell said the two articles failed to meet the constitutional standard of high crimes and misdemeanours and that the House simply impeached a political foe for an abuse of power offence that isnB次元官网网址檛 considered a crime.

B次元官网网址淭he framers built the Senate to provide stability,B次元官网网址� McConnell said. B次元官网网址淭o keep partisan passions from boiling over. Moments like this are why the United States Senate exists.B次元官网网址�

A trial in the Republican-controlled Senate would almost certainly result in Trump being acquitted of the charges.

In a news conference late Wednesday after the impeachment vote, Pelosi declined to say when she would send the articles to the Republican-led Senate. Until the articles are submitted, the Senate cannot hold the trial.

McConnell was meeting later Thursday with Schumer to begin negotiations on how to conduct next yearB次元官网网址檚 Senate trial. The two leaders have a tense relationship and McConnell holds a tactical edge if he can keep his 53-member Senate majority united.

A day after his impeachment, Trump was quick to lash out at Pelosi.

B次元官网网址淣ow the Do Nothing Party want to Do Nothing with the Articles & not deliver them to the Senate,B次元官网网址� Trump tweeted Thursday morning. He claimed the timing of the trial was up to the Senate, and that if Democrats didnB次元官网网址檛 transmit the articles of impeachment B次元官网网址渢hey would lose by Default!B次元官网网址�

But there is no constitutional requirement on Pelosi to send them swiftly B次元官网网址� or at all.

Pelosi said House Democrats could not name impeachment managers B次元官网网址� House prosecutors who make the case for TrumpB次元官网网址檚 conviction and removal from office B次元官网网址� until they know more about how the Senate will conduct a trial.

B次元官网网址淲e cannot name managers until we see what the process is on the Senate side,B次元官网网址� Pelosi said. B次元官网网址淎nd I would hope that that will be soon. B次元官网网址� So far we havenB次元官网网址檛 seen anything that looks fair to us. So hopefully it will be fair. And when we see what that is, weB次元官网网址檒l send our managers.B次元官网网址�

McConnell rejected a proposal earlier this week from Schumer, D-N.Y., to call several witnesses. McConnell also said that he is co-ordinating with the White House and declared that B次元官网网址淚 am not an impartial juror.B次元官网网址�

Pelosi said that McConnell B次元官网网址渟ays itB次元官网网址檚 OK for the foreman of the jury to be in cahoots with the lawyers of the accused. That doesnB次元官网网址檛 sound right to us.B次元官网网址�

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham blasted PelosiB次元官网网址檚 move that would potentially delay the Senate trial, where she said Trump was sure to get a B次元官网网址渇air shakeB次元官网网址� compared to the House.

In an interview with ABCB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淕ood Morning America,B次元官网网址� Grisham said PelosiB次元官网网址檚 announcement was B次元官网网址淛ust another gimmick and more changing of the rules.B次元官网网址�

Asked again if she could guarantee that she would send the articles to the Senate, Pelosi said at the news conference: B次元官网网址淭hat would have been our intention.B次元官网网址� But they will see what the Senate decides, she said.

B次元官网网址淲e are not having that discussion. We have done what we set out to do,B次元官网网址� Pelosi said.

Complicating any decision to delay are House DemocratsB次元官网网址� arguments in recent weeks that TrumpB次元官网网址檚 impeachment was needed B次元官网网址渦rgently,B次元官网网址� arguing his actions were a threat to Democracy and the fairness of the 2020 election.

Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline, a member of PelosiB次元官网网址檚 leadership team, said after her remarks that Democrats want impeachment proceedings that are B次元官网网址渏udicious and responsible and deliberative.B次元官网网址�

He said that while Senate will decide its own procedures, B次元官网网址渢he speakerB次元官网网址檚 only point is before she sends it over she needs to understand what that isB次元官网网址� because it will influence who the impeachment managers are.

Asked about never sending the articles over, Cicilline said, B次元官网网址淚 would not speculate that anyoneB次元官网网址檚 even contemplating that.B次元官网网址�

Associated Press writer Alan Fram in Washington contributed to this report.

Mary Clare Jalonick, Laurie Kellman And Zeke Miller, The Associated Press

Like us on and follow us on .