So everyone can cool it about House Speaker Pelosi holding on to the charges for a while ….
The process requires Senate leader McConnell to identify the Senate’s path in their deliberations….
Trump’s defence will be led by White House counsel Pat Cipollone…
The Senate is set to leave town for the year without a deal on key components of President Trump‘s impeachment trial, including whether to have witnesses.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) met Thursday just hours before the chamber is expected to wrap up its work for 2019.
But the two leaders signaled after the meeting that they did not reach an agreement on witnesses or requests for additional documents — two key sticking points for Democrats.
McConnell said that they had a “cordial” conversation but described negotiations as at an “impasse” as the impeachment trial looms.
“As of today, however, we remain at an impasse because my friend, the Democratic leader, continues to demand a new and different set of rules for President Trump,” McConnell said on Thursday evening. “We remain at an impasse on these logistics.”
Schumer declined to comment as he left the Capitol, but Justin Goodman, a spokesman for Schumer, said the Democratic leader asked McConnell to “consider Sen. Schumer’s proposal over the holidays.”