Next phase of Trump impeachment investigation begins
Jim Spellman, CGTN
North America;US
Constitutional law experts, from left, Noah Feldman, Pamela Karlan, Michael Gerhardt, and Jonathan Turley, are sworn in to testify during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on the constitutional grounds for the impeachment of President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Constitutional law experts, from left, Noah Feldman, Pamela Karlan, Michael Gerhardt, and Jonathan Turley, are sworn in to testify during a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on the constitutional grounds for the impeachment of President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

The Democrat's fast-moving impeachment inquiry against U.S. President Donald Trump is now hearing from four constitutional scholars that will discuss the findings from the investigation so far.

Three of the experts were chosen by Democrats and one by Republicans.

Behind the scenes at Trump impeachment hearings

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Democrats allege that Trump pressured Ukraine to investigate his political rivals while withholding nearly $400 million in aid.

The scholars chosen by the Democrats argue that what Trump is alleged to have done rises to the level of “high crimes and misdemeanors” -- the standard set by the U.S. Constitution to impeach a president.

The Democratic-chosen scholars include Michael Gerhardt - a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law, Pamela S. Karlan - a professor at Stanford Law School, and Noah Feldman, of Harvard Law School.

The Republican's witness, George Washington University Law School Professor Johnathan Turley, began by saying he doesn't support Trump and didn't vote for him, but that Trump hasn't done anything that rises to the level of impeachment, and warns that impeachment could become the norm if this inquiry goes forward.

These scholars have little to do with that actual impeachment inquiry, but Democrats hope that their testimony, broadcast on national TV, will help them make their case to the American people.

So far these proceedings have followed partisan lines. There is little reason this hearing does much to change that.