A US lawmaker has said that Jesus was treated more fairly before his crucifixion than US President Donald Trump has been treated during his impeachment inquiry.
Before the House of Representatives voted on whether or not to remove the president from office, Barry Loudermilk from the Republican Party complained about the secrecy of the inquiry.
"The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right of the defendant to face their accuser," he said.
"But not only have the Democrats prohibited Republicans and the president from questioning the so called whistleblower, his identity has been kept secret.
"Before you take this historic vote today, one week before Christmas, I want you to keep this in mind when Jesus was falsely accused of treason. Pontius Pilate gave Jesus the opportunity to face his accusers during that sham trial.
"Pontius Pilate afforded more rights to Jesus than the democrats have afforded this president and this process."
President Donald Trump was impeached by the US House of Representatives on Wednesday night, becoming only the third American chief executive to be formally charged under the Constitution's ultimate remedy for high crimes and misdemeanours.
The historic vote split along party lines, much the way it has divided the nation, over the charges that the 45th president abused the power of his office by enlisting a foreign government to investigate a political rival ahead of the 2020 election.
Having approved that abuse of power charge by a vote of 230 for to 197 against, the House then approved the second article of the impeachment resolution - that Mr Trump obstructed Congress in its investigation - by 229 votes to 198.
The articles of impeachment, the political equivalent of an indictment, now go to the Senate for trial, most likely in January.
Mr Trump is expected to be acquitted by the Republican-led chamber, but would still then have to run for re-election carrying the enduring mark of impeachment on his purposely disruptive presidency.
Democrats led Wednesday night's voting, framed in what many said was their duty to protect the Constitution and uphold the nation's system of checks and balances.
Republicans stood by their party's leader, who has frequently tested the bounds of civic norms. Trump called the whole affair a "witch hunt," a "hoax" and a "sham," and sometimes all three.
