Senate Begins Trump’s Second Impeachment Trial

The proceedings of former United States President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate began earlier today.

For hours on Tuesday, Democratic members of the House of Representatives who are impeachment managers as well as Trump’s defense team debated the constitutionality of the impeachment trial.

Trump’s lawyers argue that since he is no longer in office and is now a private citizen, the Senate has not right for an impeachment trial.

Meanwhile, the House managers said that the Senate is entitled to impeachment trials for a president from their first day in office through their very last.

The Senate voted 56-44 that the former president could be subject to a Senate trial after leaving office.

Representative Jamie Raskin, the lead impeachment manager, introduced a video showing what he said are evidence of Trump calling upon his supporters to fight and stop the steal of the elections.

Last month, the House impeached the former president on a single article of impeachment, accusing him of inciting an insurrection, after a large group of the former president supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6 to try to stop the ratification of the presidential election results.

It is worth noting that in order to convict Trump, at least 17 Republican Senators will have to vote against the former President alongside the 50 Democrats who now represent the majority in the Upper Chamber, with the Vice President being the tiebreaker.

The White House Press Secretary, Jen Psakim, said earlier that the Biden administration does not plan to comment on the impeachment trial.

Psakim noted that the focus of the new administration is on passing the necessary legislation and approving its appointees.

The trial will resume on Wednesday, with both sides making their case to the Senate.