Trump impeachment: Republican senator's attempt to out whistleblower shot down on Senate floor

Analysis: Breaking down key moments from final day of questioning as Trump's acquittal nears

Chief Justice John Roberts wasn't having it when a Senate Republican ally of Donald Trump ignored federal laws by trying to publicly name the "whistleblower" in the Ukraine drama that led to the president's impeachment.

Conservative House and Senate GOP lawmakers for months have floated the notion of naming the intelligence officer whose complaint to a government watchdog about Mr Trump's 25 July call with Ukraine's president prompted House Democrats' impeachment probe.

The president on 28 December even retweeted a social media post containing the individual's alleged name.

Senator Rand Paul, a sometimes-roguish Kentuckian from the party's libertarian wing, wanted to go even further during the nationally televised impeachment trial of Mr Trump on Thursday. Paul sent a message to Roberts on one of the yellow note cards being used to question House Democratic impeachment that appeared to out the whistleblower.

What followed was one of the trial's most memorable moments and quotes. Here is a smattering of top moments and quotes from the final day of senators questioning both sides.

"The presiding officer declines to read the question as submitted." Roberts shot down Mr Paul's attempts to name the intelligence office who objected to what that individual thought was conduct unbecoming a commander in chief. It isn't the first time Mr Paul has had a big idea only to be shot down in the Senate chamber. And it's surely not the last. But he and Mr Trump have something to talk about the next time they golf together at one of Mr Trump's courses.

"That argument may succeed here now. That means we are not back to where we [were]. That means we are worse off than than where we were." House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff took time on Thursday to respond – again – to a contention made a day earlier by Alan Dershowitz, a Harvard and TV celebrity lawyer-turned-Trump lawyer that any president can do anything – shy of breaking a law – mostly with their re-election campaign in mind so long as it's also in the nation's interests. Mr Schiff's assessment is rather dark. But with the trial, according to GOP senators and sources, headed for a vote to acquit Mr Trump as soon as Friday, legal scholars will have to sort whether Mr Dershowitz – almost single-handedly – has overhauled the powers of the presidency.

"But if those partners feel like our policies, what we say publicly, don't matter, if they feel like we're not a reliable and predictable partner, if they feel like the American handshake isn't worth anything, then they will not stand by us." Think harder about this remark by Congressman Jason Crow, one of the House managers, who went on to warn, if Mr Trump remains in office, key US partnerships "will start to fray". Now think about what would happen if the Senate convicted and removed Mr Trump. House Democrats are arguing that the country's partnerships around the world would be better off under the man who quickly would be sworn in as the 46th commander in chief: Vice President Mike Pence, a conservative whose policies would rile Democrats as much as anything Trump has pushed.

"This is not a banana republic. It's the United States of America. It's wrong." That was House Democratic impeachment manager Hakeem Jeffries of New York. That's a line straight borrowed from former Vice President Joe Biden, who has accused Mr Trump of trying to establish just that. Expect to hear a lot more of that as the election really heats up.

"If all that is solely ... for his personal and political gain and not in the best interest of the American people, I say, 'God bless him. Keep doing it.'" Trump lawyer Eric Herschmann implored House Democratic managers to "join us" and "stop all of this," after listing the White House's usual greatest hits of what it considers Mr Trump's biggest achievements since taking office. Herschmann is talking about another political solar system, however. There are almost no incentives for Democrats to suddenly align with Mr Trump - especially in an election year.

"If you believe the president acted out of mixed motives, you should vote to convict." Mr Schiff responded to a question from Republican senators by, in part, rebutting an argument Mr Trump's legal team the day before. They argued that if even an ounce of the president's motives towards Ukraine was to address corruption there or to address another US interest, the House had no ground to impeach him and the Senate none to remove him. Mr Schiff noted Mr Dershowitz has made the same argument in court before. "He lost," the lead House manager said, glancing toward the defence team's table on the Senate floor.

"This entire proceeding is now the fruit of the poisonous tree." Fielding a question from several Republican senators, Deputy White House Counsel Patrick Philbin got a belt-high political fastball and blasted it over the outfield fence. Not surprisingly, one of the trial's most leading questions came from a trio of conservative senators: Republicans John Barrasso, Joni Ernst and David Perdue. There's no doubt how each is voting: No on any potential witness motions. No on removing Mr Trump.