WASHINGTON, D.C., USA —
DAY 11: Closing Arguments
Closing arguments are set to start Monday. Then senators will be able to make speeches on Tuesday ahead of Pres. Trump's State of the Union address. The big vote will happen on Wednesday. All signs still point to an acquittal.
Collins 'Disappointed'
In a new exclusive interview with NEWS CENTER Maine, Sen. Collins said she is 'disappointed' the witness vote she fought for failed. She also took aim at critics calling their claims she got permission to make the vote from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell 'sexist.' Read More
Witness Vote Fails
The critical vote on whether to allow witnesses and new evidence failed along party lines 51-49. Sen. Collins was one of just two Republicans to vote in favor. Independent Sen. Angus King also voted in favor. Read More
Threats Against Collins Hit Home
A threat aimed at Sen. Susan Collins mentioned at least 10 Maine high schools, including in her hometown of Caribou. Read More
DAY 10: An Acquital?
With the final vote on witnesses looking like it will be very close and likely fail, it could mean the trial ends Friday. All signs point to an acquittal of Pres. Donald Trump. Read More
Collins Makes Big Announcement
Late Thursday night Sen. Collins announced she will in fact vote in favor of witnesses and documents. Her decision comes as another key moderate Republican said he would not. Read More
William Cohen Weighs In
Former Maine Senator and U.S. Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, sat down with NEWS CENTER Maine this week to weigh in on President Trump’s impeachment trial and the increased pressure surrounding Sen. Susan Collins. Read More
DAY 9: Questioning Continues
Senators continue to ask legal teams questions Thursday as debate of witnesses and John Bolton continues. The final vote on witnesses could happen by the end of the week. Read More
DAY 8: Collins Asks First Question
Sen. Susan Collins was the first to ask a question directed at Trump's defense team. The focus: the president's motive. Read More
Collins Office Voicemails
In voicemail audio from Sen. Susan Collins Washington office, callers are heard targeting the Republican Senator in profanity-laced rants over whether or not she will vote for witnesses. Read More
King Takes Stance on Bolton
Maine's Independent Sen. Angus King told NEWS CENTER Maine Tuesday he is not sure there will be enough Republican votes to allow John Bolton to testify, despite telling reporters just a day before he believed they did. Read More
DAY 7: Opening Arguments Wrap Up
President Donald Trump's legal team ended the opening of his impeachment trial defense Tuesday, painting him and his aides as hounded by investigation and taking a dismissive swipe at an unpublished book by John Bolton that is said to contradict a key defense argument. Read More
DAY 6: Bolton's Claims
Former National Security Advisor John Bolton is creating big waves as Trump's defense team continues its opening arguments Monday. A sample of Bolton's book was released in a NY Times report in which he claimed Pres. Trump told him that he wanted to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in security aid from Ukraine until its leaders helped investigate the Bidens. The question: will Republican senators, including Collins vote in favor of hearing his testimony? Read More
DAY 5: Republicans Make Their Case
As Pres. Trump's Defense team started its own opening arguments on Saturday, they are taking aim at Democrats for failing to provide key evidence in their case. Lawyers argued Trump 'did nothing wrong' and claimed House Managers are simply looking to overturn the results of the election. Read More
Collins Slams House Managers
'That's not true!' Those were the words spoken by Sen. Collins as she shook her head on the Senate floor Friday in response to lead House Manager Adam Schiff's closing remarks. Schiff mentioned a CBS report that Republican senators were told their 'heads will be on a pike' if they do not side with the president. Read More
DAY 4: Democrats Wrap Up
House Democrats wrap up opening statements Friday. Then it will be time for Pres. Trump's defense team to make its case. The focus will be on proving Trump obstructed Congress. Read More
DAY 3: Collins Speaks Out
'Not really.' That is how Sen. Collins responded to a question of whether any information presented by House Democrats in the opening arguments of the impeachment trial 'stuck out to her.' Collins has been criticized by some for aligning with Republicans in the trial process while publicly denying any 'pressure.' Read More
Maine Activists Pressure Collins
As House Democrats continued to make their case on the Senate floor, Maine activists traveled to D.C. to pressure Collins to take a firmer stance on the trial. The group had a short meeting with Sen. Angus King before going to Collins office and demonstrating before her staff. They say she isn't listening. Read More
DAY 2: Opening Arguments
After 13 hours of debate that kept Senators on Capitol Hill until 2 a.m., the rules of the trial were finalized. Now, opening arguments can begin. Sen. Collins made waves for voting against her party once overnight. Sen. Read More
Day 1: The Trial Begins
The trail began in earnest on Tuesday. Senators will be headed to the Senate Chamber at 1 p.m., where they vote on proposed rules for what Republicans hoped would be a quick trial. Read More
Why the attention?
There's a lot at stake. Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican, is facing pressure nationally and at home in Maine because she is in the heat of a race for re-election. Democrats want to claim her long-held seat. The Cook Political Report has ranked the race a 'toss-up' following Collins' controversial vote to confirm Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Collins has also been somewhat critical of the investigation of Pres. Donald Trump by House Democrats. On top of that, she is one of only a handful of Republicans that could influence whether witnesses and evidence will be allowed in the trial. Read More
What are the charges?
Pres. Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives on charges of 'Abuse of Power' and 'Obstruction of Congress' surrounding his dealings with Ukraine. It is alleged that Pres. Trump withheld aide to the country in return for an investigation into Democratic rival former Vice Pres. Joe Biden. Read More
How does the process work?
To put it simply, senators are now jurors. The Senate chamber is now a courtroom.
A team of lawmakers in the House called 'managers' will play the roll of prosecutors. That team includes the Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff.
Pres. Trump has a defense team of his own. It is Congressman Doug Collins, Congressman Mike Johnson, Congressman Jim Jordan, Congresswoman Debbie Lesko, Congressman Mark Meadows, Congressman John Ratcliffe, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and Congressman Lee Zeldin.
"Throughout this process, these Members of Congress have provided guidance to the White House team, which was prohibited from participating in the proceedings concocted by Democrats in the House of Representatives," the White House said in a statement.
When the trial is over, the Senate will vote.
If fewer than two-thirds of senators find the president 'not guilty', Pres. Trump remains in office.
If two-thirds or more of senators find him 'guilty', Pres. Trump is removed from office and Vice Pres. Mike Pence takes over. There is no appeal to this process.
Complete Coverage
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Zach Blanchard and Samantha York will also be posting the latest developments as they happen.