As a former federal prosecutor in New York, Daniel Goldman made a name for himself in the courtroom, notching guilty verdicts against a famed Las Vegas sports gambler and a hit man for a Genovese crime family. His track record left him with a reputation as a strong trial lawyer who could land convictions in closely watched cases.

On Wednesday, he stepped onto a new stage, in a new role with the most imposing target of his career in his sights. For a moment, Goldman was the face of the Democrats’ drive to impeach President Donald Trump. From the dais of a House hearing room, behind a placard identifying him as “counsel,” Goldman led the questioning for Democratic lawmakers—before they got their turn later in the day—as their impeachment inquiry into Trump first entered a public phase.