Amid the ongoing impeachment trial against Donald Trump, the President is expecting to face dozens of probes into his administration, family, as well as his business prior to the 2020 presidential race.
Democrats have been making their case for days now as to why Trump should be convicted and removed from office, alleging that he abused his power by pressuring the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden for personal gain, Newsweek reports.
“If the truth doesn’t matter, we’re lost,” Representative Adam Schiff, the leading Democrat on impeachment, made in a plea to senators on Thursday. “The framers [of the Constitution] couldn’t protect us from ourselves if right and truth don’t matter. And you know that what he did was not right.”
Meanwhile, lawmakers will hear Trump’s defense as the President’s legal team will take the podium on Saturday to begin advocating his innocence in his dealings with Ukraine. They’re expected to argue that the articles of impeachment are “made up”, and that Democrats “rigged” the process.
As the arguments continue to play out, it’s all but certain that Trump will be cleared of wrongdoing by the Senate. A two-thirds majority (67 votes) is needed to remove a sitting president. Luckily for Trump, Republicans control the Senate with a 53 to 47 majority.
However, if Trump is acquitted, there are a number of legal disputes that could threaten his hold on the presidency. Earlier this week, amid the impeachment trial, news broke that the attorney general of the District of Columbia was suing Trump’s inaugural committee over abusing nonprofit funds.
“Over the last several years, President Trump has evaded accountability for his near-daily attacks on our basic legal, ethical, and constitutional rules and norms,” Democratic Representative Jerry Nadler said at the time. “Investigating these threats to the rule of law is an obligation of Congress.”
There’s also the issue of the Trump administration’s apparent violation of the emoluments clause, which prohibits federal officials from receiving gifts from foreign or state governments without the consent of Congress. There are several lawsuits circulating in the lower courts that accuse Trump of failing to comply with the clause by profiting from domestic and foreign officials who visit his hotels and restaurants.
Other noteworthy congressional investigations include Trump’s communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin, alleged abuses with the White House security clearance system, and the President’s tax returns.
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