'Worse than Watergate', ex-special prosecutor says

The former Watergate special prosecutor Richard Ben-Veniste has said he believes that the subject of Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial is worse than Richard Nixon’s near-impeachment over the Watergate scandal.

He told BBC World News: "No one died in Watergate. Watergate was an attempt by Nixon to cover up and obstruct an investigation into political wrongdoing.

"This is an assault on the very foundation of our democracy, a free and open election and then a peaceful transition of power."

Mr Trump's legal team has called the trial "absurd and unconstitutional" on the basis that he has already left office. They have also argued Mr Trump has freedom of speech to declare the election fraudulent.