After a day of procedural debate and voting, six days of opening arguments, and two days of question and answer, the impeachment trial of Donald Trump could conclude Friday with debate followed by Republicans voting to end the trial and cover up Trump’s abuses of power. But Democrats will be keeping up the fight for a fair trial.

Ongoing coverage can be found here.

Crow hands off to Hakeem Jeffries, who quickly pulls up a statement from Fiona Hill as part of pointing out the deep involvement of Mick Mulvaney—and reminding the senators of that “drug deal” quote from Bolton. This followed by a clip showing Sondland being asked about that deal. Sondland says “Yeah, a lot of people were aware of it.” Jefferies returns to the “everyone was in the loop” statement that ties Bolton’s manuscript claims to statements in the investigation.

Jeffries making it clear again that the “perfect call” was not a stand alone event. It was part of a larger conversation conducted by Giuliani, Sondland, Volker and others that started well before that call.

Jeffries calls for “let’s question Mick Mulvaney under oath.” Which, I think, is the first time today there’s been a direct call for the testimony of anyone other than Bolton.

jeffries plays an extended version of Mulvaney’s press conference statement, framing things both before and after the statements that have been shown in previous clips. Which — hopefully — gnaws away at the claims Mulvaney was either confused or misquoted.

Jeffries address the “policy disagreement” claims from Trump’s defense by repeating their own statements that Giuliani wasn’t involved in policy.

Jeffries also renews the call for Blair and Duffey — the officials who actually had to put their names on letters to DOD and others in withholding the aid. Duffey also authored notes making it clear that he and other officials at OMB were aware the hold was illegal, and instructed people to stay quiet about it.

So the House mangers are where they started in the first day of debate: Bolton, Mulvaney, Duffey, and Blair. Those are the witnesses they are requesting.

Jeffries doing a good job, again, of framing the gaps in our knowledge of what happened, how they seem to point to nothing other than malfeasance, and inviting senators to solve the mystery. He’s doing a good job of making just getting answers on OMB emails seem like something exciting and interesting.

Jeffries hands over to Zoe Lofgren.

Lofgren returns to the focus on the need for documents, speaking directly to the documents that are mentioned in testimony.

Lofgren: “But we haven’t seen any of them. I think it’s a cover-up.”

The House managers are making the same requests that they made coming in: four witnesses and specific documents. It’s hard for even Trump’s team to claim that the House is on a fishing expedition for whole new theories of the case … but they’ve made those claims, and will again in a few minutes.

Lofgren reminds the Senate again that depositions and documents are completely within their control, that they can designate Roberts to adjudicate issues of privilege, that the House team has agreed to deal with witnesses and documents within a week. And that Trump is “the architect of the very delay” that’s being used as a threat to the Senate.

Lofgren notes that Bolton, as a private citizen, is free to talk about any conversation he had with Trump that doesn’t include classified information. And that if Trump did try to invoke executive privilege “he would fail.”

Lofgren states — accurately — that Trump can’t deny the statements from Bolton, then use executive privilege to prevent Bolton from defending himself. Trump’s own morning statement is an argument that Bolton should be allowed to speak.

Schiff steps up to bring this home.

Schiff: “We agree with the president’s counsel on this much: this will set a new precedent. … if someone believes they would benefit from a trial with no witnesses, they will cite the trial of Donald J Trump.”

Schiff makes a clear argument that simply allowing Trump’s obstruction to stand is an abdication of the impeachment power, as well as Congress’ oversight authority. Trump will have been told that concealing evidence is an acceptable tactic.

Schiff: “Our country will no no longer have a government with three coequal branches.”

Schiff: “No matter what you decide to do here, no matter if you decide to let witnesses tell their story … The facts will come out. … Witnesses will tell their story in books and in hearings … the facts will come out.”

Schiff once again giving a pitch to simple honesty and common sense — everyone is going to learn the truth anyway. Why not ask while that truth can do some good? Why not show the public that Senate Republicans care about the truth?

Schiff: “A trial without witnesses is no trial at all. You either have a trial, or you don’t.” 

Schiff closes this section with a Adams quote about the importance of a fair trial. 

“Only Donald Trump, only Donald Trump of any defendant in America, can insist on a trial without witnesses or documents.”

Schiff: “The importance of a fair trial here is not less than any courtroom in America, it is greater than every courtroom in America. Because we set the example.”

Schiff wraps up his call eloquently, and McConnell calls for a short recess before Trump’s defense makes its statement on witnesses.

Rear Adm. Barry Black's opening #ImpeachmentTrial prayer: "Lord, help them to remember that they can't ignore you and get away with it. For we always reap what we sow." pic.twitter.com/RyxNvgdXp4

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 31, 2020