On Tuesday, Senate Republicans largely voted against holding a trial for Trump’s impeachment. This indicates that many in the GOP still remain loyal to the 45th president; furthermore, GOP Senate members additionally questioned the legitimacy of such a trial, since Trump no longer serves as president.
Republicans in the Senate also argued that impeachment proceedings against former presidents set a dangerous precedent. Texas GOP Sen. John Cornyn suggested that if Democrats can proceed with impeaching Trump, what’s to stop Republicans from impeaching Obama?
Likewise, Cornyn also inferred that Trump’s status as a one-term president serves as enough “punishment” from the system.
The most divisive impeachment in U.S. history
Republicans and Democrats alike have condemned the riots on Capitol Hill; however, where the two parties differ is on the appropriateness of continuing forward with impeachment measures against a now-private citizen.
Democrats allege that an impeachment trial against the 45th president won’t further divide the nation; yet, congressional debates over the merits, legality, and appropriateness of putting a former president on trial are already divisive.
