The impeachment trial for former President Trump kicked off in the Senate on Tuesday, beginning with debate over the constitutionality of the House prosecuting a president who has already left office.
The bottom line: After four hours of arguments by each side, the Senate affirmed by a vote of 56-44 that it is constitutional to try a former president.
- Six Republicans voted with Democrats, including Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who had previously voted "no" on the question.
- “Trump’s team was disorganized ... they did not talk about the issue at hand,” he told reporters. “As an impartial juror, I’m going to vote for the side that did the good job.”
- The others were Sens. Mitt Romney (Utah), Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Pat Toomey (Penn.) and Ben Sasse (Neb.)
Highlights: ...
- The Senate updated its organizing resolution to have the chamber convene every day until a verdict is rendered, after Trump lawyer David Schoen withdrew a request to break for the Jewish Sabbath.
- Lead impeachment manager Raskin played a video montage of Trump speaking at the Jan. 6 "Stop the Steal" rally, followed by footage of the violent mobs ransacking the Capitol. Some of the rioters were heard chanting, ""We are listening to Trump, your boss!"
- Raskin cited some of "the nation's most prominent conservative legal scholars," including former 10th Circuit Judge Michael McConnell, Federalist Society co-founder Steven Calebresi, GOP lawyer Charles Cooper and hundreds of others who have said it is constitutional to impeach and try an official after they've left office.
- Raskin also listed examples of Constitutional framers discussing the standard of impeachment,