‘Bipartisan’ acquittal predicted for Trump
Trump was impeached on December 18 by the Democratic-controlled House over what impeachment supporters said was his abuse of power in his dealings with Ukraine and obstruction of Congress during the ensuing House impeachment inquiry.
WASHINGTON: US Republican senators have been predicting a “bipartisan” acquittal for President Donald Trump in the upcoming impeachment trial to be hosted by the chamber.
Although they stopped short of speculating on specific Democrats who will cross party lines, US media reported on Thursday.
“I think we might have a couple” of Democratic senators who will join the GOP not to convict Trump in the trial, David Perdue, Republican senator from the US state of Georgia, was quoted as saying by Washington-based website The Hill.
“I don’t want to speculate on who — obviously that puts too much pressure on them — but I really think we have people on both sides that are trying to get to a reasonable, nonpartisan answer,” he added.
Trump was impeached on December 18 by the Democraticcontrolled House over what impeachment supporters said was his abuse of power in his dealings with Ukraine and obstruction of Congress during the ensuing House impeachment inquiry.
At the time of the full House vote, two Democrats voted against the first article of impeachment alleging that Trump abused his power, and three voted against the second purporting that the president obstructed Congress. Tulsi Gabbard, Democrat from Hawaii, voted “present” for each.
In an interview with Fox News on December 12, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said “it wouldn’t surprise” him if “one or two Democrats” in the Senate vote against convicting Trump.
“It looks to me over in the House, the Republicans seem to be solid and the Democrats seem to be divided,” the Kentucky GOP leader added.
Responding to a request for comment on McConnell’s remarks, Doug Jones, Democratic senator from Alabama, told ABC news channel on Sunday he had “no idea what Mitch McConnell’s talking about these days.”
While stressing the seriousness of the allegations against Trump, Jones said there are “gaps” to be filled.
Trump is impeachable if what he has been accused of are proven true, “but if those dots aren’t connected and there are other explanations that I think are consistent with innocence, I will go that way too,” he said.