Senators To Be Sworn In For Trump Impeachment Trial

The Senate on Thursday will take some of its first steps to prepare for next week's impeachment trial of President Trump, just the third such trial in Senate history.

Like many congressional activities, the process begins with much pomp and circumstance and procedure and process. But little of substance will be achieved until the case for impeachment is presented next week.

First though, there are some housekeeping measures. To start, at 12 noon, the seven House managers named by Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday will be escorted to the well of the Senate chamber to formally read the resolution appointing them and the two articles of impeachment approved by the House last month.

At 2 p.m., the Senate will move to take up the articles. Chief Justice John Roberts, having crossed First Street from the Supreme Court building over to the Capitol, will be escorted into the chamber by the Senate president pro tempore, the most senior member of the majority, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa.

Grassley will swear in Roberts to be the presiding officer during the trial, and Roberts will then swear in the 100 senators to act as jurors.