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Washington – Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said on Sunday that the outcome of former President Donald Trump’s upcoming impeachment trial was “really not in doubt” as many Republicans believe the Senate has failed. the power to try a president who is no longer in office and will likely vote to acquit him.
“It’s not a question of how the trial ends, it’s a question of when it ends,” Graham said in an interview with “Face the Nation”. “Republicans are going to see this as an unconstitutional exercise, and the only question is, will they call witnesses, how long is the trial? But the outcome is really not in doubt.”
The Senate is set to meet on Tuesday as an impeachment court to hear the case of House Democrats on why they believe Mr. Trump has committed serious crimes and misdemeanors for his conduct in the weeks leading up to and the morning of the January 6 assault on the US Capitol Building. Last month, the House approved a single impeachment article accusing Mr. Trump of inciting insurgency, and 10 Republicans join the democrats in the historic vote.
As the House impeached the former president while he was still in office, Republican senators raised questions about the constitutionality of the upcoming impeachment trial, as the Constitution does not say whether a former president can stand trial. Chief Justice John Roberts not chair during the proceedings, which Republicans say strengthens their argument as to why the Senate lacks the power to try a president who is out of power.
Forty-five Republicans voted last month in favor of a motion by GOP Senator Rand Paul challenging the constitutionality of the impeachment trial, saying Democrats are unlikely to win the support of the 17 Republicans they would have need to condemn Mr. Trump.
Graham has said that while he does not believe the events of January 6 were “OK,” he thinks most Republicans see the impeachment trial as an “unconstitutional exercise.”
“The behavior of the president in my opinion is not a crime, but he can be accused of it if people think he committed it because he is now a private citizen,” he said.
The South Carolina senator, who was one of Mr. Trump’s closest allies in Congress, said lawmakers have never in history removed a president after removal from office.
“I think the Constitution has been blatantly violated because when it comes to Trump it seems like there is no end to it all,” he said. “So the trial will end in an acquittal.”
Graham said the longer a trial takes, the worse it will be for the country.
“I am ready to move on. I am ready to end the impeachment trial because I think it is patently unconstitutional. I am ready to continue trying to solve the nation’s problems,” said Graham. “And as for Donald Trump, he is the most popular figure in the Republican Party, he has had a consistent presidency. January 6 was a very bad day for America, and he will have his share of responsibility in history. . “
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