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Democrats are divided over the timing of former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate, fearing it could hamper President Biden’s ability to deliver on his agenda in the early days of his administration.
In the absence of a broader agreement between the leaders, Senate rules dictate that during impeachment, which often lasts for weeks, senators must meet six days a week, taking only Sunday, which could hamper the new administration. Biden said he was exploring ways to advance his plan to tackle the dual health and economic crisis while continuing his impeachment.
“We are convinced that just as the American people can, the Senate can also multitask and do its constitutional duty while continuing to run the affairs of the American people,” the press secretary of the United States said on Wednesday. White House, Jen Psaki, hours after Biden’s inauguration. “He will leave the mechanisms to Congress for how to move forward with the impeachment.”
While Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., has indicated he is ready to establish a new set of rules that would allow lawmakers to split the time between the trial and the legislative work of upholding the Biden’s candidates – “we have to act on the agenda too,” he said recently – it seems unlikely that Republicans will support such a move.
“No,” R-Texas Senator John Cornyn tweeted in response to Psaki, saying that “the Senate can multitask.”
This puts Democrats in a bind, forcing them to decide whether to prioritize a second impeachment trial of Trump, whose presidency ended Wednesday, or put themselves on Biden’s agenda while they control both houses of Congress for the next two years.
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House Democrats, joined by 10 Republicans, voted to impeach Trump last week for inciting insurgency after the violent attack on Capitol Hill that left five people dead, including a U.S. Capitol police officer. They are still wondering when to send the indictment article to the Senate to officially start a trial. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said it would be “soon”.
Several Democrats have argued they should push to swiftly confirm Biden’s top Cabinet candidates and adopt another coronavirus relief package as the U.S. death toll surpasses 400,000 rather than fall. focus on the removal of a president already absent from power.
“My clear preference is to create room for appointments and legislation,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Said this week. “I’ll defer to management, but I don’t know if we should start the trial right after the inauguration.”
Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Called Trump’s impeachment a “moot question” because his term ended on Wednesday.
“I think it’s a moot question – this president is stepping down,” Feinstein told reporters this week. “So that won’t have any practical application. But whatever happens, I’m fine with it.”
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Meanwhile, Senator Joe Manchin, DW.Va., a key moderate who is expected to become a powerful member of the 50-50 split Senate, said earlier this month that an impeachment trial after Trump left “made no sense. anything.”
“I was concerned about the impeachment as we needed to reconstitute our government and restore confidence in our government,” he said Tuesday, calling on Biden to “restore that stability and restore confidence.”
But Schumer, speaking in the Senate Tuesday, argued lawmakers have “a solemn responsibility to attempt to hold Donald Trump accountable for the most serious charge ever brought against a president: inciting an insurgency against the states. United of America ”.
He said Democrats have already decided to go ahead with a Senate trial, although he did not address the exact timing.
“There will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate. There will be a vote on the president’s conviction for serious felonies and misdemeanors,” he said. “And if the president is convicted, there will be a vote on the ban on running again.”
At least 17 Republicans are expected to join the 50 Democrats in condemning Trump. From there, lawmakers could vote to prevent him from once again holding public office by simple majority.
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It is highly unlikely – but not out of the question – that a trial could begin this week. But Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Have yet to work out a universal operating agreement for the 50-50 Senate, where Vice President Kamala Harris can vote to break the tie. Their pact on how to run the upper house could ultimately dictate the start of a trial.
On the first day back in session since the Capitol uprising, the Senate moved forward through the process of confirming Biden’s cabinet, with hearings of five of his candidates, including the Treasury Department, the Pentagon and the Department of State.
Democrats are aiming for early confirmation of several candidates, especially those who will deal with national security issues. So far, only one of Biden’s nominees – Avril Haines as director of national intelligence – has been confirmed.
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