Two impeachment votes acquit Trump
The whirligig matter of Trump’s impeachment fell to the United States Senate floor after two votes Wednesday.
Fifty-two senators supported a verdict of “not guilty” on Article 1, and 53 shouted out their “not guilty” on Article II.
The first article involved a charge of abuse of power and the second obstruction of Congress.
The end results were widely predicted after the president was impeached in December.
In a theatrical move, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney voted against the Republican majority on Article 1 with a vote of “guilty.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her members also knew going in, that their strategy was likely to result in the status quo, but they concluded the Trump’s conduct in a Ukraine affair left them no recourse but to censure him in the most severe way they could.
On Tuesday night, Trump delivered what could justifiably be called a stem-winder State of the Union speech that lasted nearly one-and-a-half hours.
He touted the nation’s strong economy and delighted Republicans in the room with a series of made-for-TV moments.
His eager supporters rose from their seats more than 100 times for standing applause.
At the beginning, Pelosi offered Trump a handshake that was rejected. At the end, she tore up the print version of the speech for all to see.
After the House of Representatives passed two votes for impeachment, Pelosi said the label would cling to him for the rest of his life.
His address also laid bare his bitter partisan standoff with Democrats and left little doubt that legislative accomplishments between now and the November election will be extremely difficult, if not impossible.
His theme was “the state of our union is stronger than ever before.”
He did not mention impeachment throughout the lengthy speech.
He did not make an overt mention of the 2020 election, though GOP supporters chanted “Four more years!” several times.
His teleprompter speech repeatedly celebrated his record on job creation and increased defense spending and warnings about immigration.
The president went on attack on the top election issue of health care, labeling Democrats who support universal health care “socialists.”
He called on Congress to pass legislation that would lower prescription drug prices — a big issue with voters — mentioning a Senate bill proposed by Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley but opposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Democrats responded with chants of “HR 3,” the name of a sweeping bill on drug prices passed by the House in December that’s unlikely to move in the Senate.
Again and again in his speech, Trump talked about policies aimed at black Americans: His support for historically black colleges, school voucher and “opportunity zone” tax breaks for investment in designated low-income neighborhoods.
Near the end of the speech, the president’s wife Melania, fixed the Presidential Medal of Freedom around the neck of Rush Limbaugh, a conservative talk radio host, who has revealed that he has advanced lung cancer.
Trump wins two “not guilty” impeachment votes in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, following a lengthy State of the Union address on Tuesday night.