CNN survey: 57% say Trump did what he was impeached for

A new opinion survey by CNN finds 57-percent of Americans believe President Trump did what the House charged him with in two articles of impeachment. His lawyers say it does not matter, even if he did.

CHICAGO - Illinois' senior senator, Dick Durbin, is pushing his Republican colleagues to allow new witnesses and documents at President Donald Trump's impeachment trial.

But the White House and top Republicans say they want any trial to be brief and that new evidence will likely not be allowed.

A fight over the rules may erupt soon after the trial begins Tuesday.

A new opinion survey by CNN finds 57-percent of Americans believe President Trump did what the House charged him with in two articles of impeachment. But his lawyers say it does not matter, even if he did.

"Our position will be, that it does not need to be a lengthy proceeding with witnesses if a determination can be made by the Senate that what is alleged here, and they are not crimes alleged, are not sufficient, even if shown, to remove the president from office,” said President Trump’s lawyer Robert Ray.

The president's lawyers call the impeachment, "a perversion of the constitution" that the Senate should quickly reject.

The CNN opinion survey reports 69-percent of Americans say the Senate trial should allow new witness testimony.

Democrats pointed to that as they complained Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's proposed trial rules are different than the rules for president Bill Clinton’s five-week long impeachment trial. Democrats said McConnell’s rules could block new documents and witnesses.

“You cannot have a trial without evidence. Evidence means documents and witnesses,” Senator Durbin said.

Without agreement even on the rules for the trial, both sides are bracing for a partisan showdown.