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Lead House impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) accused President Trump of trying to "cheat" in the 2020 election by withholding aid to Ukraine in an alleged attempt to pressure the country's president to investigate political rival Joe Biden.
"President Trump solicited foreign interference in our democratic elections, abusing the power of his office to seek help from abroad to improve his re-election prospects at home."
"President Trump withheld hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to a strategic partner at war with Russia to secure foreign help with his re-election. In other words, to cheat."— Adam Schiff in the Senate on Wednesday, per the New York Times
Background: Trump confirmed that he withheld military aid to Ukraine in September, but claimed that he did so to force other European nations to contribute.
- House Democrats have accused Trump of freezing nearly $400 million of congressionally approved military aid in order to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Biden family's ties to Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company in which Hunter Biden previously served on the board.
What else Schiff is saying: "The president's misconduct cannot be decided at the ballot box, for we cannot be assured that the vote will be fairly won."
The other side: "Democrats have based their whole impeachment sham on the word and judgment of Rep. Adam Schiff," the White House said in an email Wednesday night.
Go deeper ... Live updates: Opening arguments begin in Trump impeachment trial