Republicans lose vote to stop Trump impeachment trial as Mitch McConnell joins GOP declaring it unconstitutional

Authored by independent.co.uk and submitted by alabasterheart

Mitch McConnell was among Republican senators who sought to declare Donald Trump’s impeachment trial unconstitutional, signalling that the the US Senate does not have enough votes to convict the former president.

Senator Rand Paul failed to pass a motion to rule the former president’s trial unconstitutional because he is no longer in office. The vote to table the measure passed by 55-45.

Just five Republican senators – Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Pat Toomey – were among the votes to table the measure.

The former president is the nation’s first to be twice impeached in the House of Representatives. An article of impeachment for his role inciting the insurrection at the Capitol on 6 January was delivered to the upper chamber of Congress on Tuesday.

"If we are going to put every politician in jail, are we going to impeach every politician who has used the words 'fight' figuratively in a speech? Shame," said Senator Paul, who accused Democrats of being “deranged by their hatred" of the former president.

Mr Trump spent several months accusing Democrats of manipulating the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

The trial is set to begin on 8 February. Senators were formally sworn in as impartial jurors on Tuesday. Senator Pat Leahy, the president pro tempore, will preside.

Please enter your email address Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington newsletter {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} The Independent would like to keep you informed about offers, events and updates by email, please tick the box if you would like to be contacted

Read our full mailing list consent terms here The Independent would like to keep you informed about offers, events and updates by email, please tick the box if you would like to be contacted

Read our full mailing list consent terms here

At least 17 Republicans must vote with all 50 Democrats and independent senators who caucus with them in order to convict Mr Trump and prevent him from holding federally elected office again in the future. That would require support from senators who now have put on record that they believe the trial is unconstitutional.

“The whole thing’s dead on arrival,” Senator Paul declared.

alabasterheart on January 26th, 2021 at 20:52 UTC »

Not only was the objection by Rand Paul complete partisan grandstanding, it was also based on a completely false premise, since the Senate had previously held an impeachment trial for a Cabinet official after they left office. The fact that 45 Republican Senators supported his bogus objection is not a good sign that Trump will be convicted... But what did we expect from Republicans?

persePHOreth on January 26th, 2021 at 20:50 UTC »

Mitch McConnell was among Republican senators who sought to declare Donald Trump’s impeachment trial as unconstitutional.

Senator Rand Paul's motion to rule the former president’s trial as unconstitutional because he is no longer in office failed by a vote of 55-45.

Republican senators Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Pat Toomey were among the votes to table the measure.

Ugh. I honestly think with every new piece of information I couldn't possibly hate this man more but McConnell consistently takes it to a new level every time.

mrkramer1990 on January 26th, 2021 at 20:48 UTC »

Wow, so all but 5 Republicans think that the president is immune from consequences for anything they do in the last bit of their term. Either that or they support the terrorists and want to excuse the attack.