January 26th the U.S. House of Representatives sent an impeachment petition against former President Trump to the Senate, thus starting the impeachment trial process.
The House of Representatives accused Trump of inciting supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol, killing five people. He will be banned from future public office if convicted.
According to the agreement reached between Democrats and Republicans, the trial of impeachment will be postponed until February.
On the other hand, after Trump left office, the number of Republicans opposed to impeachment is increasing. U.S. media said that this reduced the possibility of Trump’s eventual impeachment conviction.
The U.S. House of Representatives sends impeachment clauses to the Senate
On the evening of the 25th local time, the House of Representatives officially sent the impeachment clause against former President Trump to the Senate.
According to the agreement reached between Democrats and Republicans, the trial of impeachment will be postponed until February.
Senate Majority Leader Schumer said: “The Senate will consider Trump’s impeachment bill.
This will be a comprehensive and fair review.”
Senate Minority Leader McConnell said: “The principle that Senate Republicans firmly support is that whether it is the Senate, the presidential office or former President Trump himself, they should enjoy a comprehensive and fair process that respects both his rights and serious factual, legal and constitutional issues.”
The two sides have not announced agreement on other aspects of the trial, including whether witnesses appear in court and the duration of the trial.
The House impeachment manager and defense attorney in charge of the case will write briefs over the next two weeks.
On the other hand, two people familiar with the matter said that Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts would not preside over the trial, and the process is expected to be headed by Senate Pro Tempore Patrick Leahy, the most senior Democrat in the Senate. .
A Leahy spokesman said whether he presided over the trial depends on Schumer and McConnell.
Republican critics said that Leahy’s trial would cause a conflict of interest because he supported the conviction of two impeachment clauses during Trump’s first impeachment trial in February 2020.
Increasing number of Republicans opposed to impeachment?
U.S. media reports that the number of Republicans opposed to impeachment is increasing recently, which reduces the possibility of Trump’s impeachment conviction.
In the House of Representatives impeaching outgoing Trump on January 14, a total of ten Republicans of the House voted for the Democratic Party. But the conviction of the president in the Senate’s deliberations requires the support of two-thirds of the members of the Senate.
Although Democrats now have a narrow majority of control over the Senate, they need the support of at least 17 Republicans to convict Trump.
Although a few Senate Republicans said they would be open to the convicted president, many Republican senators doubt the legitimacy of adding trials after the president leaves office, and others believe that the process will cause further division.
Republican Senator Romney pointed out on the 24th that impeaching Trump is necessary because he has been committed to disrupting the U.S. elections.
Two Florida Senator Rubio thought it would be counterproductive. He said, “I think it will be counterproductive.
When the country is already in deep trouble, it is like adding fuel to the fire.” However, Rubio also said that Trump must be partly responsible for the congressional riots.
There are also Republicans who believe that Trump is already an ordinary citizen and that the Senate has no power to impeach him.
Senator Longz believes that the U.S. Constitution does not allow the impeachment of the outgoing former president.
At the same time, Republican senators also commented on the impeachment process. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that having Democrats preside over the trial “does harm legitimacy”.
“I think the hearing is illegal if the Chief Justice does not preside over,” said Kentucky Congressional Senator Rand Paul.
