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US Senator Rand Paul
© APA (AFP)
An overwhelming majority of Republicans in the Senate have spoken out against continuing impeachment proceedings against former US President Donald Trump. After the senators were sworn in as jurors in the trial, 45 of the 50 Republicans in the chamber supported the corresponding objection from their party colleague Rand Paul on Tuesday. Only five Republicans voted with the 50 Democrats.
This means that the process in the Senate will continue to develop from the second week of February. A two-thirds majority for a conviction, which in turn would be a prerequisite for the Trump suspension that Democrats seek, seems extremely unlikely.
Paul argued that the process was unconstitutional because Trump left office on January 20. He noted that the senior senator, Democrat Patrick Leahy, will preside over the proceedings, not the chief justice of the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice must lead the impeachment proceedings against the President. Paul wanted to establish that the procedures would not affect a president but a private person and, therefore, would violate the constitution.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Paul’s line of argument “completely wrong.” Otherwise, a president could avoid impeachment and suspension from office by committing crimes against the country just before the end of his term or by resigning before a Senate trial. Under the constitution, the decision on impeachment procedures rests solely with the Senate. In the House indictment, Democrats accuse Trump of “inciting a riot” over his supporters’ attack on Capitol Hill.
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