As the Democrats prepare for another impeachment trial, amid questions of the constitutionality of convicting a former president, their chances of success appear grim.
After the Articles of Impeachment were passed against former President Donald Trump by the Democrat controlled House of Representatives there was some thought that the Senate could convict, but that is dimming now, CNN reported.
After Democratic leaders announced they would kick off the process to begin the impeachment trial on Monday, Republicans grew sharply critical about the proceedings — and made clear that they saw virtually no chance that at least 17 Republicans would join with 50 Democrats to convict Trump and also bar him from ever running from office again.
In interviews with more than a dozen GOP senators, the consensus was clear: Most Republicans are likely to acquit Trump, and only a handful are truly at risk of flipping to convict the former President — unless more evidence emerges or the political dynamics within their party dramatically change. Yet Republicans are also signaling that as more time has passed since the riot, some of the emotions of the day have cooled and they’re ready to move on.
“The chances of getting a conviction are virtually nil,” Mississippi Republican Sen. Roger Wicker said.
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“I don’t know what the vote will be but I think the chance of two-thirds is nil,” Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican from Texas said. He also said that he believes the Democrats are now being “vindictive.”
“From listening to the dynamic — and everything to this point — it’s going to be tough to get even a handful,” Indiana Republican Sen. Mike Braun said. “I think so many are getting confused by the fact that we’re doing this – and everybody has views that it’s kind of a constitutional concern.”
Many Republicans are claiming that the trial is moving too quickly, not giving former President Trump a fair chance to defend himself.
“It’s very problematic, I would say, for the folks who are bringing this right now from a timing standpoint,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune said. “I think it’s going to be very important whether or not there’s due process.”
And many have said that they do not believe it is Constitutional to have a Senate trial for a former president, who is now a private citizen.
And the former president did himself a favor by not pardoning the people who were involved in rioting at the Capitol, an unnamed Senator said, MRCTV reported.
“I thought if he pardoned people who had been part of this invasion of the Capitol, that would have pushed the number higher because that would have said, ‘These are my guys,’” the senator said.
“The Republican Party is going to have to have a discussion about its future. At some point it’s going to have to become about something more than a person,” the senator said.
“That’s my sense of where most of our members are going to come down,” the senator said.
“There’s less than a handful of Republicans in play,” Sen. Lindsey Graham, said. He said the Party should stick with Trump or they could be “destroying” their party.