January 26th local time, U.S. Senator Rand Paul filed a motion to ask the Senate to vote on whether the impeachment of Trump is unconstitutional. Of these, 55 senators considered the trial constitutional, and 45 Republican senators thought it unconstitutional.
Although the motion was rejected, the vote also sent a lot of signals for the trial two weeks later. To finally convict Trump, Democrats need the support of 17 Republican senators.
But in this vote, only five Republicans “anti-water” support impeachment, which is obviously not enough.
Five Republicans “anti-water” support impeachment
According to The Washington Post, Senator Paul, who filed the motion, pointed out that the purpose of impeachment was to remove him from office, but Trump has left office.
The trial will drag the country into a “gutter” of hatred and meanness, which has never happened in American history.
Five Republican senators in this vote “anti-water” support the constitutionality of impeachment and should continue. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, Nebraska Sen. Ben Sass, Maine Sen. Susan Collins, Alaska Sen.
Lisa Murkowski and Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey crossed the partisan line to the Democratic Party, CNN reported. Stand aside and think that Trump’s impeachment case needs to go on.
It is worth noting that Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell has repeatedly accused Trump of the riots in the Capitol.
However, he still voted for Paul’s statement that continuing impeachment trials is “unconstitutional” and engaging with other senators directly or indirectly. Get support.
Senator Paul: This vote ends the trial
Although the motion was rejected, according to the U.S. Constitution, the House of Representatives is responsible for proposing impeachment and the Senate is responsible for hearing impeachment.
Trump will not be finally convicted until two-thirds of the senators support impeachment. This means that Democrats need the support of 17 Republican senators to complete the conviction.
But in terms of this vote, only five Republicans “anti-water” support impeachment, and the number is obviously insufficient. Therefore, the possibility of Trump being convicted is very small.
According to CNN, Paul pointed out that “this vote indicates that the trial is over”.
Even the Republican senator who voted against Paul’s motion said that according to the data, the vote implied the final outcome of the trial, and Trump was very unlikely to be convicted.
However, some Republican senators said that the vote did not predict the outcome of the trial, and still senators said that they had not yet decided whether to vote for Trump’s conviction.
Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, hopes that the vote will urge Democrats to reassess whether the trial is worth conducting.
“It is unwise and uncurable. It is divided.”
But Democrats still have a tough view that Trump must be held accountable for the riots in the Capitol.
U.S. media said that a “cold war” was being staged within the Republican Party.
Although many Republicans have condemned Trump after the riots in the Capitol, the vote seems to show that they are no longer as angry as they were.
The Associated Press noted that the results of the vote implied that Trump’s influence on Republican officials continued.
Senators have not only legal concerns, but also fear that it will anger Trump and his large number of followers.
CNN wrote that “a cold war is taking place within the Republican Party”.
Republicans are exploring ways to integrate Trump and his political legacy into the future of the Republican Party.
Some Republican senators hope to push the Republican Party out of his influence through impeachment and trial.
Some Republican senators are worried that Trump will exert influence in the Republican primary, hoping to win the election by supporting conservatism and populism.
CNN believes that the “Trump faction” within the Republican Party still dominates, while the establishment is declining.
The obvious differences within the party have increased Republican concerns that the Democrats will defeat them in the midterm elections.
Many Republicans are shouting for “unity”, otherwise they will face the dilemma of “life and death”, but no one can give the answer on how to unite.
