RALEIGH — The United States Senate was in session today as articles of impeachment against President Donald J. Trump were delivered from the House of Representatives.
On Wednesday, the House voted to send two articles of impeachment to the Senate and appointed seven Democratic House members to serve as prosecutors in the forthcoming Senate trial of the president.
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the most senior Republican member of the Senate, served as the presiding officer. After establishing a quorum, Grassley administered the oath of office to John Roberts, Chief Justice of the United States. The Constitution sets out that the chief justice shall be the presiding officer over impeachment trials in the Senate.
After taking the impeachment oath, Roberts assumed the presiding chair from Grassley and swore in the senators.
Today’s proceedings were largely procedural. The Senate will recess for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and resume business Tuesday. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said this week that the trial would likely begin next Tuesday.
