Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) tried to end Trump’s impeachment trial by having it declared unconstitutional, but the Senate shot him down 55-45.
Video of the final Senate tally:
The Senate shoots down Rand Paul’s resolution to declare Trump’s impeachment trial unconstitutional 55-45. pic.twitter.com/Qhx9G3pHAy
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) January 26, 2021
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Paul tried to claim that since Trump is no longer in office, he can’t be impeached.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer responded, “The Senate has the power to try former officials. The reasons are basic common sense. It makes no sense that a president or any official could commit a heinous crime against our country and then defeat congress’s impeachment powers. And avoid a vote on disqualification by simply resigning. Or by waiting to commit that offense until their last few weeks in office. The theory that it would be a get out of jail free card for any president who commits an impeachable offense. The senator from Kentucky’s motion would do an injury to the constitution by rendering the disqualifying clause effectively moot.”
Rand Paul has never been good at common sense. Sen. Paul is still refusing to admit that the election wasn’t stolen from Donald Trump. Rand Paul and reality have never been very close, but his gambit on the Senate floor revealed that Trump still has a few defenders who will try to sabotage the constitution to get him off the hook.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
