Hi, I'm Mormon Alney. Welcome back to To the Point. The third impeachment trial in American history is underway, and today we'll hear what's at stake, not just for President Trump, but for the power of impeachment itself, and for the separation of powers doctrine so important to the U.S. Constitution. First, here's a familiar voice Congressman

Adam Schiff, a Democrat, who's presenting the articles of impeachment to the Senate, controlled by

Republicans. President Trump thus warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and

disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit

under the United States.

Adam Schiff, again, Democratic Congressman from California.

Quinta Jurecic is managing editor of Lawfare, contributing writer to the Atlantic Magazine.

Great to have you on our program.

Thanks for having me.

Very quickly, what are the two

charges? Sure. So the House has passed two articles of impeachment against the President.

The first is kind of a generalized article concerning with the House terms abuse of power regarding the president's conduct

concerning Ukraine. So his efforts to put pressure on Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky,

to manufacture or pass along supposed dirt on Joe Biden and Joe Biden's son.

The second article concerns obstruction of Congress,

and that one actually has to do with the president's refusal to work with Congress

and providing information while they were investigating that first offense. I should also say

the articles don't contain much at all about the Mueller investigation and the Russia affair, but they

do note that the president's conduct regarding Ukraine and his conduct regarding obstruction

are, they say,

part of a pattern of behavior and point to his conduct during the Russia matter as part of this.

Back to Article 1 with regard to Ukraine, it's partly an abuse because the withdrawal of military aid to Ukraine in exchange it is charged

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