Most Republican leaders vote in unison to dismiss Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, fail

Members of the Republican party on Tuesday largely voted against the trial of the former US President Donald Trump, who was accused of “incitement of insurrection” in relevance to the January 6 riots at the US Capitol.

A total of five republicans supported the democratic party’s initiative for the impeachment trial, reported New York Times. 

The vote ended with a tally of 55 to 45 which stopped the Republican attempt to dismiss the impeachment before the trial commences in the US Senate. The basis for the vote was to call the impeachment charges laid on Trump were “unconstitutional”. 

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The vote hinted that Trump will once again be spared by the US lawmakers in his impeachment trial. US law requires a two-thirds majority in order to convict a US President, which indicates that a total of 17 Republicans will have to agree with Democrats. A total of 67 votes are required for the conviction. 

Even though Senator Mitch McConnell, the minority leader and a GOP member from Kentucky, said he was unsure about the charges put on Trump even though he committed “impeachable offenses”, he voted along with the Republican notion of calling the trial “unconstitutional”.

Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, forced the vote after arguing that it was unconstitutional to hold an impeachment trial of a former president, a claim widely disputed by the Senate itself in the past, reported New York Times. 

“Private citizens don’t get impeached. Impeachment is for removal from office, and the accused here has already left office,” Mr. Paul said, calling the trial “deranged” and vindictive.

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“I want this body on record — every last person here,” he added. “Is this how you think politics should be?”

Among the Republicans who joined Democrats in voting to put aside the objection and proceed were Senators Susan Collins of Maine, Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Mitt Romney of Utah, reported New York Times. 

Murkowski said, “My review of it has led me to conclude it is constitutional in recognizing impeachment is not solely about removing a president, it is also a matter of political consequence.”