Democrats worry a speedy impeachment trial will shut out public

House Democrats gearing up to take impeachment to the Senate are already bashing Republicans over process, accusing GOP leaders in the upper chamber of threatening to shut the public out of the trial by chopping the number of days — and thereby forcing proceedings late into the night.

"That is a complete sham," a Democratic aide working on impeachment said Sunday evening. "That would be trying to hide the president's misconduct in the dead of night."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMcConnell calls for US airstrikes to stop Taliban advance Vietnam shadow hangs over Biden decision on Afghanistan The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - US deals with Afghanistan withdrawal fallout MORE (R-Ky.) has said repeatedly that he intends to model the rules of Trump's impeachment trial on those that governed the trial of President Clinton in 1999. Then, House prosecutors were allowed 24 hours to make their case, and Clinton's lawyers were allowed the same window to offer their defense. Afterwards, senators had 16 hours to ask questions about the case.

But McConnell has yet to unveil the details of his rules resolution, leading to plenty of questions and conflicting statements from speculating senators as they try to decipher the majority leader's plan.

On Sunday, Sen. John CornynJohn CornynDemocrats take first step toward .5T spending plan Unlike free college, discharging student loans in bankruptcy is a great idea Budget package includes plan for pathway to citizenship, green cards for millions MORE (R-Texas) predicted the trial phase would feature floor proceedings "probably on the order of six hours a day." Yet Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), also speaking Sunday, said the GOP plan would be to limit the opening statements from both sides to two days apiece, while keeping the allotted hours at 24.

"So doing some quick math here ... That means 12 hours a day of trial presentation, not including breaks," said the Democratic aide, noting that the daily trial proceedings are expected to start at 1 p.m. "So then the question is: is Sen. McConnell going to force the House managers to present 12 hours of testimony on Wednesday that will go til 2 or 3 in the morning?

"It is just another example of Sen. McConnell's efforts to cover up the president's misconduct."

In Clinton's impeachment, each side used three days, though neither side used all of its allotted 24 hours.

The comments arrived shortly after Rep. Adam SchiffAdam Bennett SchiffBiden officials voice support for US assistance to Egypt amid criticisms of human rights Overnight Defense: Biden faces pressure from Democrats to shrink size of Guantánamo Bay House Democrats call on Biden to close Guantánamo 'once and for all' MORE (D-Calif.), the Democrats' lead impeachment manager, huddled in the Capitol with most of the his prosecutorial team. Joined by top aides and attorneys on the Intelligence and Judiciary committees, the lawmakers are honing their message and strategy ahead of the trial, which launches Tuesday with a debate on the rules resolution.

Democrats aren't expecting opening arguments to begin until Wednesday, but absent the details of McConnell's rules package, they're preparing for anything.

"The managers will be ready to go Tuesday," said the aide.

Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiOn The Money: Federal judge rejects effort to block eviction moratorium | Moderates revolt on infrastructure in new challenge for Pelosi | Consumer confidence plunges in August Moderates revolt on infrastructure in new challenge for Pelosi OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Republicans seek full tape behind Exxon sting | July was Earth's hottest month on record | Moderates vow to block budget to secure infrastructure funding MORE (D-Calif.) had named the seven Democratic impeachment managers just last Wednesday, and there are plenty of questions about what role each of them will play as the trial progresses.

A second Democratic aide on Sunday shed some light on that topic, revealing that each of the seven managers would "repeatedly" play a part in the public presentation of arguments and evidence.

"You're going to hear from all the House impeachment managers," the second aide said. "They will each have their own role. They're each preparing. They each bring deep experience to this."

On Monday, Schiff and members of his impeachment team are scheduled to meet again in the Capitol to polish their case a final time. They'll also take advantage of the empty Capitol building — Monday is the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday — to conduct a walk-through of the Senate floor.

Meantime, they'll be pressing McConnell for more details of the trial structure — and making a case to voters that the process is anything but transparent.

"The notion that the House managers are going into a trial that begins on Tuesday without knowing what the structure is, is completely unfathomable," said the first Democratic aide. "It would never, ever happen in any other court of law around this country."