"Dangerous attack ... brazen and unlawful ... highly partisan and reckless obsession."
That's in just the first paragraph of the president's response to articles of impeachment sent to him by the Senate. It goes on like that for another five pages, but without any specific details.
Maybe that will come from witnesses when the trial gets under way. Then again, maybe not, since Trump and his defenders have refused every request and blocked every attempt to force witnesses to testify in his defense as the investigation went through the House.
And whether the Senate will call witnesses is an open question. The Republican leadership has insisted that the charges have no merit and the case should be immediately dismissed. But if the GOP calls any defense witnesses, that will mean the Democratic accusers will also be able to call witnesses.
There is also the reality that if defenders do call witnesses, they will be under oath and would face punishment if they are not truthful. Meanwhile, defenders can say whatever they like in news media and other public forums, since they will not be under oath and there is no outright legalistic punishment for lying to the press and the public.
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