WATCH: Trump’s withholding of Ukraine aid was not ‘routine,’ Crow argues |Trump impeachment trial

Trump's first impeachment - 2020

Asked by Democratic senators how President Donald Trump’s hold on foreign assistance to Ukraine differed from previous cases, House manager Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., said that Trump’s withholding of this aid was not “routine” and did not go through any congressional certification process. Prior holds on aid made by President Barack Obama, Crow argued, were always made in the national interest and with the knowledge of Congress. And

even other holds on aid made by Trump, Crow continued -- such as in Afghanistan

or Central America -- were done for reasons related to U.S. policy, and were

not concealed in the way the Ukraine hold was. “All of this goes to show there

is no legitimate policy reason” for what the president did, Crow said. He

mentioned testimony from Office of Management and Budget official Mark Sandy,

who expressed concern over the aid being removed by a political appointee. “The

president abused his authority,” Crow said. “That is what we are here to talk

about.” Senators had their first chance to ask questions of the House

managers and Trump’s legal team on Wednesday, Jan. 29. That came after both

sides were given three days, respectively, to present their case. The House of

Representatives impeached Trump in December on two articles--abuse of power and

obstruction of Congress. The questions come ahead of a vote on whether to bring

forward witnesses and documents as part of the Senate trial. The Senate must

now decide whether to acquit the president or convict him of the charges and

remove him from office.

For more on who’s who in the Trump impeachment inquiry, read

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