Ohio’s GOP senator got 15 seconds of fame during Wednesday’impeachment proceedings.

As senators lobbed questions to House managers and President Donald Trump's defense attorneys, Sen. Rob Portman asked how "allowing the House to present an incomplete case" and calling witnesses could affect other Senate business.

White House Deputy Counsel Patrick Philbin said the Democrats' request to call witnesses in the Senate "upside down."

Senate business would be slowed by taking up the "investigatory task" of calling witnesses, he said. If Democrats could call witnesses, Philbin said, Trump should be allowed to call his own "as a matter of fundamental fairness."

"It would mean this would drag on for months and prevent this chamber from getting its business done," he said.

Later, Portman — along with fellow GOP Sens. John Boozman of Arkansas and John Hoeven of North Dakota — asked another friendly question of Trump's lawyers on a key part of the anti-impeachment argument: That aid Congress approved for Ukraine was eventually released by Trump in September 2019 without Ukrainian officials overtly meeting any pre-conditions.

"Yet the (Democrats) continue to argue that President Trump conditioned the aid on an investigation of the Bidens (former Vice President Joe and son Hunter). Did the Ukrainian president or his government ultimately meet any of the alleged requirements in order to receive the aid?"

White House Deputy Counsel Michael Purpura’s response: "The very short answer is, no."

What wasn't mentioned is the fact the aid wasn't released until after a whistleblower's complaint was filed and House Democrats started asking questions.

Here is the Ohio Republican’s complete first question, as read by Chief Justice John Roberts:

"Given that impeachment proceedings are privileged in the Senate and largely prevent other work from taking place while they are ongoing, please address the implications of allowing the House to present an incomplete case to the Senate and request the Senate to seek testimony from additional witnesses."

rrouan@dispatch.com

@RickRouan