Opposition to convicting Trump in impeachment trial increasing among Senate Republicans
1-25-21
Opposition to convicting former President Trump in an impeachment trial is growing among Senate Republicans as the trial date approaches.
The Democratic-led House is expected to formally deliver the article of impeachment for "incitement of insurrection" to the U.S. Senate on Monday evening.
Democrats now control the Senate with Vice President Kamala Harris as the tie-breaking vote. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said a trial is set to begin the week of Feb. 8 and all senators will have a chance to take a position on the article. Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the Senate president pro tempore, announced on Monday that he will be presiding over the trial.
"I think a lot of Americans are going to think it's strange that the Senate is spending its time trying to convict and remove from office a man who left office a week ago," said Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton on Sunday.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio shared a similar opinion, arguing that holding a trial in the Senate is not worth the Senate's time. Rubio said he would vote to end the trial "the first chance" he gets.
"I think the trial is stupid. I think it’s counterproductive," Rubio told Fox News. "We already have a flaming fire in this country and it's like taking a bunch of gasoline and pouring it on top of the fire."
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso and Texas Sen. John Cornyn have also criticized the decision to move forward with a trial.
As the Senate works to confirm President Joe Biden's cabinet nominees, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, has said the impeachment of a former president is "unconstitutional" and it would "set a very dangerous precedent."
https://justthenews.com/government/congress/opposition-impeaching-trump-growing-among-senate-republicans