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Senators ruled by 56 votes to 44 that the historic process was unconstitutional and rejected attempts by Trump’s lawyers to block it, arguing that the former president could not be tried by lawmakers.
In a vote before Wednesday’s main impeachment trial, six Republicans supported all 50 Democrats in the Senate, where both parties have the same number of lawmakers.
Although the vote reflected the modest determination of both parties to act together, its result shows that Democrats are unlikely to win the support of 17 Republicans required by a two-thirds majority to convict Trump of inciting the rebellion.
Trump is the first president to face two impeachment trials: he was acquitted in 2020 on charges of abuse of power. Furthermore, this is the first time in history that a president who is no longer in office has been tried.
Previously, both parties presented introductory arguments. Democrats have argued that Trump broke his oath in an open attempt to stay in power when he lost the November election to Joe Biden.
By refusing to accept defeat, Trump spread a lie about election fraud and repeatedly pressured officials, including his vice president, Mike Pence, to try to block the transfer of power.
Finally, on January 6, Trump asked his angry supporters gathered near the White House to “fight fiercely.” The crowd chanted: “Stop [rinkimų] robbery ”and then attacked the Capitol, where Pence and lawmakers had gathered to confirm Biden’s victory.
“If Congress simply stepped aside from such an extraordinary crime against the Republic, it would encourage future presidents to exercise power without fear of accountability,” said Joe Neguse, one of the leading Democrats on the impeachment.
But perhaps most impressed was the lengthy video montage of Trump supporters on January 6 storming the United States Capitol in the ornate Senate Hall.
That video contained excerpts from Mr. Trump’s speech against the riots, followed by scenes of violence when his supporters invaded the Capitol.
Many senators themselves saw these events and were forced to flee from the rioters.
“If it’s not an impeachment offense, then there’s no such thing,” said Jamie Raskin, leader of the impeachment teams.
Historic prosecution court
Donald Trump’s historic second impeachment court began in the United States Senate on Tuesday accusing the former president of inciting January 6. the so-called uprising, when his supporters stormed the Capitol.
Trump is the first president to face two impeachment trials: he was acquitted in 2020 on charges of abuse of power. Furthermore, this is the first time in history that a president who is no longer in office has been tried.
The Capitol storm on January 6 shocked the entire world as rioters, determined to prevent President-elect Joe Biden’s victory from being confirmed, stormed the building.
Witnesses are not expected in this court, in part because sworn senators who have been forced into hiding will receive videos made that day.
Trump, who found refuge at his Mar-a-Lago resort at the time, refused to testify in court.
Trump advocates are preparing to argue that the Constitution does not give the upper house of Congress jurisdiction to try a former president. They are also going to argue that Trump somehow incited the crowd to rebel. According to them, Trump simply exercised his right under the First Amendment to urge his supporters to protest on Capitol Hill.
At the time, Congressional Democrats, called House impeachment leaders, said in their final counterarguments that Trump had committed “the gravest constitutional crime” of any US president by inciting his supporters to storm the United States Capitol. United in January. According to them, Trump “betrayed the American people” and there can be no justification for that.
“Inciting him to rebel against the US regime, which disrupted the peaceful transfer of power, is the most serious constitutional crime ever committed by the president,” the Democrats said.
Senators will meet in impeachment court on Tuesday to decide and vote first on whether the Constitution allows the former president’s trial.
Defendant: Indictment against Trump based on “cold and indisputable facts”
The chief prosecutor of the House of Representatives, Jamie Raskin, said Tuesday that the indictment against the former president of the United States, Donald Trump, was based on “cold and indisputable facts.”
The United States Senate has opened a historic second impeachment trial against Mr. Trump after the former president, who lost the election, accused the House of Representatives of inciting crowds to storm the United States Capitol on January 6 .
Trump is the first president to face two impeachment trials: he was acquitted in 2020 on charges of abuse of power. Furthermore, this is the first time in history that a president who is no longer in office has been tried.
The process began with a debate on whether the prosecution court was unconstitutional with respect to the former president.
“You will not hear a long sermon from me here, because our case is based on cold and indisputable facts,” Raskin told the senators.
The chief prosecutor rejected the argument of Trump’s lawyers accused of “inciting rebellion” that he should not be tried at all.
“His argument is that if he has committed a crime worthy of impeachment in recent weeks, he is doing it without constitutional punishment. It will run away, “Raskin said.
“In other words, behavior that will be a felony offense in the first year of the presidency, the second year of the presidency, the third year of the presidency, and the vast majority of the fourth year of the presidency can be abruptly committed in the last weeks without any constitutional responsibility, “he said.
“This would create a new January exception in the US constitution,” the congressman added.
Raskin then presented an extensive video montage of the scenes of the assault on the United States Capitol on January 6 by Trump supporters after the then-president delivered a fiery speech urging them to challenge Joe Biden’s victory in the elections.
That video contained excerpts from Mr. Trump’s speech against the riots, followed by scenes of violence when his supporters invaded the Capitol.
It is not yet clear how long the impeachment court will last, but it will be shorter than the first three-week marathon of D. Trump’s impeachment and could end next week.
Democrats have 50 out of 100 seats in the Senate, and Vice President Kamala Harris can use her vote to determine the outcome of votes when votes are evenly distributed. However, Trump needs a two-thirds majority to convict, which means that at least 17 Republican senators should support the Democrats in the vote.
Should Trump be found guilty, the Senate would then hold another vote to bar him from holding public office in the future. A simple majority would be sufficient for such a decision.
However, even if the impeachment court ends in acquittal, calls to punish Trump for his conduct after the election will continue and may include efforts to get both sides to vote for the reprimand.
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