McConnell lays out rules for Trump’s Senate trial

Stage set for 2-day marathon session

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KYMA, KECY) - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , (R) Kentucky, laid out the plan Monday for what appears to be a fast-tracked Senate Impeachment trial.

Under the rules, each side will get a total of just 24-hours to present their cases.

The organizing resolution calls for Democrats to present their case against President Donald Trump first. They have the challenge of fitting weeks of testimony and hundreds of pages evidence into two 12-hour presentations.

Trump's legal team takes over when the Democrats are done. A brief filed Monday gives insight into its strategy. Attorneys appear prepared to argue the president did "absolutely nothing wrong." They'll portray him as a victim of a partisan plot who needs to be acquitted.

After both sides present, Senators will get a 16-hour window to submit questions in writing.

Then, the full Senate will debate whether to hear from witnesses or view additional evidence. After the debate, comes the vote. Democrats need the support of just four Republican Senators in order to call witnesses or submit additional documents.

However, it's not as simple as just agreeing to hear witnesses. Any witnesses must be deposed, and their testimony reviewed, before they even speak a word to the full Senate.

The resolution makes no mention of a motion to dismiss the case. Although some predict that could happen as soon as Wednesday morning.

The Senate trial is scheduled to begin Tuesday morning. KYMA.com will livestream the proceedings.