45 Republican Senators Vote Against Trump Impeachment Trial, Say It's Unconstitutional

Forty-five Republican senators voted against holding an impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump over his remarks at the U.S. Capitol, saying it would be unconstitutional to impeach a former president.

All but five GOP senators sided with an effort proposed by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), sending a signal that there are not enough votes to convict Trump. Convicting a president during a Senate impeachment trial requires a two-thirds majority.

Republican Sens. Mitt Romney (Utah), Ben Sasse (Neb.), Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), and Pat Toomey (Pa.) voted with Democrats to reject Paul's order, suggesting the five senators will vote to convict Trump. Romney was the only Republican senator to vote to convict Trump during his first impeachment trial in early 2020.

The Senate ultimately voted 55-45 to table Paul's point of order, meaning that the impeachment trial will go forward. The House voted to impeach Trump earlier this month on the sole impeachment charge of "incitement of insurrection," with Democrats claiming he incited violence at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month. Trump called on the protesters not to engage in violent acts and later told them to "go home in peace."







 

Roberts will not preside over impeachment trial

By Amy Howe on Jan 25, 2021 at 7:15 pm

When the Senate's impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump begins next month, one familiar face from Trump's first impeachment won't be there: Chief Justice John Roberts. Instead, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who serves as the president pro tempore of the Senate, will preside over the trial.

As Frank Bowman explained in an article for SCOTUSblog before Trump's first impeachment trial last year, the Constitution requires the chief justice to preside over an impeachment trial for the president. But Trump, who was impeached on Jan. 13 for his role in inciting the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol that left five people dead, including a Capitol police officer, is no longer the president

Supreme Court rejects lawsuits over Trump emoluments case

Mark Moore January 25, 2021

The US Supreme Court on Monday dismissed lawsuits that accused former President Donald Trump of illegally profiting from his four years in the White House as "moot" because Trump has left office.

"The judgment is vacated, and the case is remanded to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit with instructions to dismiss the case as moot," the court wrote in an order released Monday. The court released no other comment.

The attorneys general of Maryland and the District of Columbia sued over whether Trump benefited financially from the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, while the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington sued over the Trump International Hotel in Manhattan.

Maryland and DC accused Trump of profiting from his hotel whenever foreign dignitaries or people seeking to curry favor with his administration stayed at the property.









Well, lets see--- The Chief Justice of the US Supreme refused to participate, 45 Senators voted NO (yes, Blackburn and Hagerty were among the NO votes) on holding an impeachment trial, and the Supreme Court ruled a lawsuit moot because Trump had left office.   It looks like serious problems for Sen. Chuck Schumer in his efforts to impeach former President Trump. 




Oh, and about that filibuster??

McConnell: Power-sharing deal can proceed after Manchin, Sinema back filibuster

BY JORDAIN CARNEY - 01/25/21 09:23 PM EST

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) indicated on Monday night that a power-sharing deal could move forward after two Democrats reiterated they would not nix the 60-vote legislative filibuster.

"Today two Democratic Senators publicly confirmed they will not vote to end the legislative filibuster. They agree with President Biden's and my view that no Senate majority should destroy the right of future minorities of both parties to help shape legislation," McConnell said in a statement.

"The legislative filibuster was a key part of the foundation beneath the Senate's last 50-50 power-sharing agreement in 2001. With these assurances, I look forward to moving ahead with a power-sharing agreement modeled on that precedent," McConnell added

















IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

 

Joe Biden's $1.5B campaign haul reportedly helped by $145M in 'dark money'

By Mark Moore January 26, 2021

President Biden's record-breaking $1.5 billion campaign fundraising haul was boosted by millions in so-called "dark money" contributions from anonymous donors who will never be identified, according to a report.

The $145 million he received eclipsed the $113 million in dark funds GOP Sen. Mitt Romney took in for his failed 2012 presidential bid against former President Barack Obama and the $24 million former President Donald Trump received, Bloomberg News reported.

Democrats have long condemned such fundraising because it allows the candidate to dodge any scrutiny about the source of their backing.

Priorities USA Action Fund, a super PAC that Biden identified as his preferred group for outside spending, used $26 million originally donated to its nonprofit arm, Priorities USA, to back Biden, Bloomberg reported.

Donors of those funds do not have to be identified.