A majority of Republican Senators are firmly behind Donald Trump. Trump’s acquittal is imminent.
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“Your duty demands that you convict President Trump,” said Jason Crow of Colorado, urging Republicans to stop pretending Trump was motivated in his Ukraine scheme by concerns about corruption or that maneuvers in the scheme such as the suspension of military aid were in fact innocent measures undertaken for other purposes. (Guardian, Feb)
According to the leader of the White House legal team Pat Cipolonne:
“This is an effort to overturn the results of one election and to try to interfere in the coming election that begins today in Iowa, … The only appropriate result here is to acquit the president and to leave it to the voters to choose their president.”
Reports suggest that Trump will be acquitted.
The aftermath of this acquittal will have a fundamental impact on bi-partisan politics.
In all likelihood, the White House will backlash on the candidacy of Joe Biden.
Updated Monday February 3 at 1:49 p.m. EST
House Democrats and President Trump’s defense team are making their closing arguments in the Senate impeachment trial before lawmakers vote later this week on whether to remove Trump from office.
Both sides presented opposing versions of the president’s handling of aid for Ukraine last summer and the impeachment proceedings so far.
With Trump’s acquittal all but certain, House manager Jason Crow used his remarks to push back against those lawmakers who argue that Trump’s alleged actions do not rise to the level of impeachment.
“If you believe … that the president’s efforts to use his official powers to cheat in the 2020 election jeopardize our national security and are antithetical to our democratic tradition, then you must come to no other conclusion than that the president threatens the fairness of the next election,” Crow said.
The House managers also warned that the president could continue to seek foreign interference in the next election.
“The president continues his wrongdoing unchecked and unashamed,” said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. (NPR, February 3, 2020)
Watch the proceedings live. or click screenshot below
