Senate acquits Trump

Mitt Romney only Republican senator to vote against Trump on impeachment articles

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell leaves the chamber after leading the impeachment acquittal of President Donald Trump at the Capitol in Washington on Wednesday.

They thought this was a great idea. And at least for the short term, it has been a colossal political mistake.” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, on Democrats’ impeachment effort

The US Senate on Wednesday acquitted President Donald Trump of two articles of impeachment brought by the Democratic-led House of Representatives — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — ending the third impeachment trial in US history.

On the first article of impeachment, abuse of power, all 47 Democrats and one Republican — Mitt Romney of Utah — voted to convict the president, falling short of the 67 needed to remove him from office.

On the second article of impeachment, obstruction of Congress, the vote also failed, with all Democrats and no Republicans finding Trump guilty.

“It is, therefore, ordered and adjudged that the said Donald John Trump be, and he is hereby, acquitted of the charges in said articles,” declared Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, the presiding officer, after the second vote.

Trump now joins two other presidents who were impeached but acquitted: Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1999.

Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, became the first senator in US history to vote to remove from office a president from the same party.

“The president is guilty of an appalling abuse of public trust,” Romney said on the Senate floor before the vote.

“I am sure to hear abuse from the president and his supporters,” Romney said. “Does anyone seriously believe I would consent to these consequences other than from an inescapable conviction that my oath before God demanded it of me?”

Pelosi announced the impeachment inquiry on Sept 24. The House voted to authorize it Oct 31. No House Republicans joined Democrats to impeach Trump in December.

Seven House impeachment managers argued the Democrats’ case in the Senate. Trump’s lawyers argued, among other points, that the Democrats hadn’t proved their case and that even if they had, Trump’s conduct didn’t amount to grounds for removal.

In the three-week-long trial, the House provided the Senate with 28,578 pages of evidence, including 17 depositions of current and former government officials. Senators asked 180 questions of House managers and Trump’s defense team.

In the closing days of the trial, Democrats warned about the implications of acquitting the president of conduct that even some Republicans agreed was improper.

“He has compromised our elections and he will do so again,” said Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who led the team of impeachment managers. “You will not change him. You cannot constrain him. He is who he is . ... Now, do impartial justice and convict him.”

Trump decried the impeachment process as politically motivated and unfair. Since Pelosi opened the inquiry in September, the president has posted nearly 700 tweets or retweets criticizing impeachment.

In a tweet Monday, he referred to “the totally partisan Impeachment hoax”.

The acquittal came just a day after the president gave his State of the Union address in the House chamber where he was impeached. The annual event was televised and it put on display the bitterness and divisions between Trump and Pelosi.

When Trump stepped up to the rostrum and handed her a copy of his speech, per custom, Pelosi rose and extended her hand to shake his. Trump turned his back, and the speaker quickly withdrew her hand.

Pelosi then omitted the customary laudatory words in her introduction of the president: “I have the high privilege and distinct honor of presenting to you the president of the United States.” Instead, she said simply, “Members of Congress, the president of the United States.”

When Trump ended his speech, Pelosi tore up her copy of his prepared remarks.

As she left the Capitol Building on Tuesday night, Pelosi told reporters she tore up the speech “because it was a manifesto of mistruths”.

The moment Pelosi tore up the speech was instantly replayed hundreds of times on television and resulted in praise and ridicule on social media. Vice-President Mike Pence called it a “new low”.

Pelosi then issued a statement soon after Trump’s speech explaining why she tore up the speech.

“The manifesto of mistruths presented in page after page of the address tonight should be a call to action for everyone who expects truth from the president and policies worthy of his office and the American people,” she said.

At a post-acquittal news conference Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was repeatedly asked about Romney’s political future given his vote to convict Trump on the abuse-of-power charge. McConnell declined to say whether he believes Romney should be expelled from the party.

“I was surprised and disappointed, but we have much work to do for the American people, and I think Senator Romney has been largely supportive of most everything we’ve tried to accomplish,” McConnell said.

As for the Democrats, he said: “Right now, this is a political loser for them. They initiated it. They thought this was a great idea. And at least for the short term, it has been a colossal political mistake.”