Impeachment

Even if most Senate Republicans do unite behind a no-trial strategy, there’s not much they can do about it other than offer a motion to dismiss the article at the beginning of the proceedings, which is sure to fail without Democratic support. There has been some vague talk of securing a Supreme Court ruling that the trial is unconstitutional, but it’s doubtful there is time for that. And in any event, SCOTUS has been strongly disinclined in the past to interfere in congressional impeachment powers. Indeed, Chief Justice John Roberts is said to be eager to avoid repeating his presiding-officer role from the first impeachment trial on the reasonably solid grounds that the constitutional purpose of that position was to avoid a conflict of interest for a vice-president who might have inherited the presidency upon a conviction. That’s not the case for Trump and Kamala Harris. (CNN reported on Monday that Vermont Democrat Patrick Leahy, the Senate pro tempore, will … [Read more...] about Senate Republicans Don’t Even Want to Have an Impeachment Trial

The inauguration of President Joe Biden was accompanied by an unprecedented law enforcement lockdown and went ahead without a hitch. However, the renewed threats against lawmakers ahead of Trump's appearance at the Senate demonstrated the potential for danger, officials said. … [Read more...] about Donald Trump Impeachment Trial Sparks Violent Threats Against Lawmakers

Though arguing against the Senate taking action, Dershowitz did acknowledge in his op-ed that impeaching former officials is not unprecedented. He called back to the impeachment of Secretary of War William Belknap in 1876. Belknap had accepted kickbacks in exchange for appointing an associate to a lucrative military trading position. … [Read more...] about Dershowitz: Senate should dismiss impeachment article since Trump is private citizen

A spokesman for Leahy said the decision on presiding over the trial is up to Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerCapitol insurrection fallout: A PATRIOT Act 2.0? Schumer calls for DOJ watchdog to probe alleged Trump effort to oust acting AG Student loan forgiveness would be windfall for dentists, doctors and lawyers MORE (D-N.Y.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellBiden attends first church service as president in DC, stops at local bagel shop Harry Reid 'not particularly optimistic' Biden will push to eliminate filibuster Senators spar over validity of Trump impeachment trial MORE (R-Ky.). … [Read more...] about Leahy, not Roberts, to preside over impeachment trial

During Monday’s broadcast of “CNN Newsroom,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) sounded off on Rep. Liz Cheney’s (R-WY) vote to impeach now-former President Donald Trump. Her decision to impeach Trump has been met with calls to remove her from her position as chair of the House GOP Conference and being primaried in 2022. … [Read more...] about GOP Rep. Kinzinger: ‘Majority’ of GOP Would Have Voted to Impeach Trump in a ‘Secret’ Vote

"To begin with, I think it's a moot point, because I think right now Donald Trump is no longer the president, he is a former president," Rounds said. "The Constitution, and I think, and I know that there are other people out there that may disagree with me, but Article I Sections I think 6 and 7 specifically point out that you can impeach the president, and it does not indicate that you can impeach someone who is not in office. So I think it’s a moot point and I think it's one that they would have a very difficult time in trying to get done within the Senate." … [Read more...] about Impeaching Trump as a former president a ‘moot point,’ Rounds says