BREAKING: Senate Votes to Acquit Trump in Impeachment
On Saturday, the U.S. Senate voted to acquit former President Donald Trump of high crimes and misdemeanors, specifically of “incitement of insurrection.”
The vote came along partisan lines, 57 to 43, with seven Republicans joining the 50 Democrats in voting to convict Trump. Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) voted with the Democrats to convict Trump.
Collins, Murkowski, Romney, Sasse, and Toomey voted for the Senate to hold the impeachment trial despite the fact Trump is no longer president. Cassidy later switched his vote, claiming that Trump’s lawyers did not make a good case against the constitutionality of the trial.
In a speech after the acquittal vote, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) claimed that Republicans who voted to acquit Trump had voted to “condone” the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021. This argument suggests the Democrats will continue to pursue Republicans on the claim that conservatives are a threat to democracy.
The Senate seemed primed to call witnesses after news of a bombshell phone call between Trump and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in which Trump reportedly attempted to blame antifa for the storming of the Capitol on January 6, and then defended the rioters. He reportedly told McCarthy, “Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.”
While that phone call is damning, it does not prove the central claim in the impeachment, that Trump “incited” the riot.
After the vote, Trump released a statement thanking his “team of dedicated lawyers and others for their tireless work upholding justice and defending truth.”
“Our cherished Constitutional Republic was founded on the impartial rule of law, the indispensable safeguard for our liberties, our rights and our freedoms,” Trump added. “It is a sad commentary on our times that one political party in America is given a free pass to denigrate the rule of law, defame law enforcement, cheer mobs, excuse rioters, and transform justice into a tool of political vengeance, and persecute, blacklist, cancel and suppress all people and viewpoints with whom or which they disagree.”
“I always have, and always will, be a champion for the unwavering rule of law, the heroes of law enforcement, and the right of Americans to peacefully and honorably debate the issues of the day without malice and without hate,” the former president added.
“This has been yet another phase of the greatest witch hunt in the history of our Country,” Trump argued. “No president has ever gone through anything like it, and it continues because our opponents cannot forget the almost 75 million people, the highest number ever for a sitting president, who voted for us just a few short months ago.
The former president concluded his remarks with a promise of more to come.
“Our historic, patriotic and beautiful movement to Make America Great Again has only just begun. In the months ahead I have much to share with you, and I look forward to continuing our incredible journey together to achieve American greatness for all of our people,” he said. “There has never been anything like it!”
