“If you feel that you have no authority, then you can’t go on and say ‘well we have no authority but I guess I’ll go ahead and convict anyway,’ ” Hawley said. “I’d be surprised if many or any of those people change their minds on the underlying question of whether or not to oppose a penalty or not.”
Assuming every Democrat votes to find Trump “guilty,” they would still need 17 Republican senators to side with them in order to convict Trump, in what would amount to a historic first. On Tuesday, they got six to say the trial was constitutional.
The House s lead impeachment manager, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., prepares Tuesday for the start of the second Senate impeachment trial of Donald Trump. (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call/Getty Images)
The historic opening day of the first Senate impeachment trial of a former president was fiery and emotional in some moments.
Democrat House managers and lawyers for former President Donald Trump primarily clashed over the constitutionality of trying a private citizen who was impeached seven days before his term as president expired.
The House impeached Trump on Jan. 13 on a single charge of “incitement to insurrection” for his Jan. 6 speech at a rally near the White House as rioters began to break into the Capitol to try to stop lawmakers’ count of electoral votes for president in a joint session of Congress.
For the second time in as many years, the House impeached President Donald Trump, this time over the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the United States Capitol. Here's what to know about when Trump's trial will start, how to watch it live and more.
For the second time in as many years, the House impeached President Donald Trump, this time over the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the United States Capitol. Here's what to know about when Trump's trial will start, how to watch it live and more.