READ: Law professor Michael Gerhardt testifies on impeachment

Michael Gerhardt, one of a handful of law and constitutional experts testifying Wednesday as part of the impeachment probe, will say in his opening statement that President Trump’s actions “are worse than the misconduct of any prior president.”

{mosads}”The president’s serious misconduct, including bribery, soliciting a personal favor from a foreign leader in exchange for his exercise of power, and obstructing justice and Congress are worse than the misconduct of any prior president, including what previous presidents who faced impeachment have done or been accused of doing,” the University of North Carolina law professor, a Democratic witness, plans to say, according to his opening statement to the House Judiciary Committee.

The hearing, the first of the inquiry before this committee, seeks to establish whether Trump’s actions meet the constitutional definition required for impeachment. 

Read Gerhardt’s full statement below.