'He is guilty and he knows it': Val Demings lays out the case against Trump in thunderous floor speech

On the first day of the Senate impeachment trial, Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), one of the House impeachment managers, clearly articulated the seriousness of the charges against President Donald Trump.

"The first article of impeachment charges the president with using the power of his office to solicit and pressure Ukraine to announce investigations that everyone in this chamber knows to be bogus," said Demings. "The president didn't even care if an investigation was actually conducted, just that it was announced. Why? Because this was for his own personal and political benefit. The first article further charges that the president did so with corrupt motives, and that his use of power for personal gain harmed the national security of the United States."

"As the second article of impeachment charges, the president sought to conceal evidence of this conduct," continued Demings. "He did so by ordering his entire administration — every office, every agency, every official — to defy every subpoena served in the House impeachment inquiry. No president in history has ever done anything like this. Many presidents have expressly acknowledged that they couldn't do anything like this."

"President Trump did not take these extreme steps to hide evidence of his innocence, or to protect the institution of the presidency," added Demings. "As a career law enforcement officer, I have never seen anyone take such extreme steps to hide evidence allegedly proving his innocence. And I do not find that here today. The president is engaged in this cover-up because he is guilty, and he knows it."

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