Biden wants Democrats to keep Trump trial short



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Message from President Biden to Democratic Senate leaders on the former President TrumpDonald TrumpPalm Beach Reviews Trump’s Residence In Mar-a-Lago Immigration Reform Can’t Wait On The Money: Five Questions About The GameStop Controversy | Biden and Yellen call for swift action on new aid READ MOREThe next impeachment trial is clear: be brief and don’t let him derail his agenda.

Biden never embraced Trump’s second impeachment, although he also didn’t seek to stand in his way amid his party’s outrage over the former president’s involvement. in the January 6 popular attack on the Capitol.

Yet he and his team have always been aware of the risks of a trial so early in his tenure as he seeks to win a deal on a $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.

It’s also clearer now than two weeks ago that impeachment will not end with Trump’s conviction.

It was in question at first, but a Senate vote this week in which only five Republicans voted against the tabling of a motion declaring the lawsuit unconstitutional helped ensure that the Senate does not win two-thirds of the votes. votes required for condemnation.

Officials in the Biden administration and close White House allies have said the president will distance himself from Trump’s trial, which begins in the second week of February.

“He’s going to let the Senate do what it needs to do,” said a Biden ally close to the White House. “We always knew it was going to happen. We always knew that would be the position we find ourselves in with Republicans now. And now he’s going to respect the process and let it happen.

The impeachment trial poses risks for Biden, and some Democrats had warned he could torpedo his first platform.

The best thing for Biden, now that a conviction for Trump seems out of place, is for the trial to begin and end so the Senate can quickly return to more full-time work on the legislation and confirm Biden’s candidates.

“He came to the White House with a strong message of unity and the last thing he wants is for the impeachment trial to define the first days of his presidency,” said an ally.

Sources say Biden and his advisers have been in frequent contact with Democratic leaders in Congress, and some members of Biden’s inner circle have supported the impeachment.

After January 6 at the Capitol, Cedric RichmondCedric Richmond White House goes full steam ahead for COVID-19 relief talks Attack on America that divides Congress – and a Pelosi nation to sit as Republican of Iowa as Democratic challenger disputes election results MORE, who resigned from Congress to become Biden’s senior adviser, expressed immediate support for the impeachment, according to a source familiar with internal conversations with Biden’s team.

But several prominent Democrats in both chambers expressed concern early in the process about a Senate impeachment trial delaying Biden’s agenda. They predicted that only a few Republican senators would ultimately vote to condemn Trump.

“We already know the result before it starts and it is frustrating for everyone,” said a Democratic Senate aide after this week’s vote on the senator-sponsored motion. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard Paul The Seventeenth Amendment and Donald Trump’s Censorship Where’s Barry Goldwater’s Republican Party when you need it? Paul says Roberts absence ‘crystallized’ argument against Trump impeachment READ MORE (R-Ky.).

Majority House Whip James Clyburn (DS.C.), a key Biden ally whose approval was crucial in the 2020 election, has pleaded for the wait after Biden’s first 100 days in office before sending an article of impeachment to the Senate.

Across the Capitol, Sens. Tim kaineTimothy (Tim) Michael KaineHow McConnell derailed Trump’s impeachment trial before he cast Kaine’s eyes next week to file a censure to exclude Trump from his future position The Hill’s Morning Report – Dems question trial; January becomes deadliest pandemic month READ MORE (D-Go.) And Chris MurphyChristopher (Chris) Scott MurphyHow McConnell Derailed Trump’s Impeachment Trial Before Starting Schumer Vows To Go Forward With Trump Trial Despite Setback The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden: Focus on vaccine, virus, PLUS trips (D-Conn.) Privately expressed concerns that confirming Biden Cabinet nominees and moving a COVID-19 relief package should be top priorities.

Murphy said: “My argument in private was not necessarily that we shouldn’t have a trial, but it took a couple of weeks to set up the Cabinet and get COVID. [relief] moving.”

Kaine said on Friday he raised early concerns about the “likely outcome” of a trial.

“I just felt as outrageous as the behavior was and as much as accountability is needed, I just didn’t see a way for Republicans to get 17 votes to convict,” he said. “I thought about it as soon as the House started doing it.

He said “the urgent need is COVID relief and I know Chuck feels the same,” he added, referring to the Senate Majority Leader. Charles SchumerChuck Schumer Immigration Reform Can’t Wait Psaki Expects DHS Candidate Mayorkas to Lead Task Force to Reunite Separated Families Biden DHS Chooses Senate Breakthroughs, Passing Republican Hurdle MORE (DN.Y.).

His. Joe manchinJoseph (Joe) Manchin Joe Manchin Could Show Senate A Better Way Forward Democrats Willing To Bypass Republicans On COVID-19 Relief Bill On Money: Economy Shrunk 3.5% in 2020 | Lawmakers tear up Robinhood’s GameStop decision | Budget rules, politics threaten the hourly minimum wage PLUS (DW.Va.) said on Jan. 10 that holding an impeachment trial while Trump is no longer in office “makes absolutely no sense.”

Biden never said anything publicly critical of the trial.

In fact, earlier this week he told CNN he believed “it has to happen.”

Immediately after the riot, Biden signaled that the decision was up to lawmakers.

“What Congress decides to do is for them to decide,” Biden said Jan. 8.

He said he understood the impact impeachment could have on his next legislative agenda, but warned that there could be “a worse effect if that doesn’t happen.”

Last week, Kaine discussed with his colleagues what he calls a condemnation resolution that could later trigger the 14th Amendment ban on anyone who has engaged in an insurgency or rebellion from performing their duties.

He said the goal was to establish the facts that Trump is inciting insurgency and providing aid and comfort to enemies of the United States.

Kaine said he discussed his proposal with the senator. Chris CoonsChris Andrew CoonsHawley files ethics counter-complaint against seven Democratic senators Moderates pledge to ‘be a force’ under Biden Democrats seek answers on impact of Russian cyberattack on Justice Department and courts MORE (D-Del.), One of Biden’s closest allies in the Senate.

Democrats now realize that publicly questioning the point of a trial will only give Republicans political ammunition and are dutifully preparing to sit in a second impeachment trial in just over a year, even if the outcome has been predetermined.

“This is a process where, if the House does and sends the documents, [in] in the Senate, our hands are tied, ”Kaine said.

He added that his fellow Democrats “want to see how the trial is going” before receiving his sentencing resolution.



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