A version of this story first appeared in CNN's Impeachment Watch newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here

(CNN) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stepped onto the Senate floor Friday to kick off the 2020 session and criticized House Democrats for waiting to send impeachment articles to the Senate, accusing them of delaying for partisan reasons. He also pushed back against the idea that they should have any say in how the Senate runs a trial and defended his coordination with the White House.

He offered no sign of when a trial might begin, pledging instead to move on to other matters: "For now we're content to continue the ordinary business of the Senate."

Pelosi fires back

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi later responded with a direct challenge to members of the Senate, citing Thursday's bombshell report about President Donald Trump's role in withholding security aid to Ukraine -- but did not clarify what her next move will be.

"Leader McConnell is doubling down on his violation of his oath, even after the exposure of new, deeply incriminating documents this week which provide further evidence of what we know: President Trump abused the power of his office for personal, political gain," Pelosi said in a statement. "Every Senator now faces a choice: to be loyal to the President or the Constitution."

Read More