Politics

LIVE: Inside Day One of the Trump Impeachment Hearings

Historic impeachment hearings aimed at President Donald Trump are underway on Capitol Hill on this Wednesday, as Democrats charge the President wrongly used the power of his office to try to get Ukraine to launch investigations which would have benefited Mr. Trump's political standing.

The hearings before the House Intelligence Committee represented a high stakes challenge for Congressional Republicans and President Trump.

Here's the latest from inside the hearing room.

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10:00 am.  The hearing gets underway.  Republicans start with a quick parliamentary inquiry, and then Rep. Adam Schiff D-CA begins his opening statement.  President Trump has made clear his feelings about what's happening today.

9:55 am.  The witnesses take their seats, along with their lawyers.  William Taylor, the acting US Ambassador to Ukraine, and George Kent, a deputy assistant Secretary of State.

9:45 am.  It took a while for me to get inside the Ways and Means Committee room and to get my seat.  Then the power didn't work.  Then the audio feed didn't work.  My internet didn't work.  But I'm here.

9:30 am.  The line outside the hearing room was long. There were all sorts of people in line, most of them well versed in what was going on.  A 77 year old man from Blacksburg, Virginia behind me spoke to a Canadian TV reporter, and said he was convinced this was the 'most corrupt' President he had ever encountered.