McConnell Will Vote To Acquit Trump As Impeachment Trial Nears Expected End

Topline

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will vote to acquit former President Donald Trump on a charge of inciting insurrection, according to multiple reports Saturday, with a final vote to impeach Trump expected as early as Saturday afternoon.

Key Facts

McConnell, who previously remained silent about his impeachment stance throughout the trial, reportedly sent a note to his Republican colleagues Saturday morning confirming he will vote to acquit.

In the note, the Minority Leader said he believes impeachment is a “tool primarily of removal,” but also said the Constitution “makes perfectly clear that Presidential misconduct while in office can be prosecuted after the President has left office,” in what seems to challenge President Trump’s defense that effectively argues the opposite.

The development comes as a growing cadre of Senate Democrats mount an effort to suspend the impeachment trial in order to depose witnesses, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), following a bombshell report from CNN alleging McCarthy knew Trump failed to call off rioting supporters despite being told lawmakers were in danger.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) initiated the witness call late Friday, tweeting that McCarthy should be deposed to get the facts–a call Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) quickly endorsed. 

The Senate convenes at 10 a.m. Saturday, and if the Senate votes against calling on further witnesses, House impeachment managers and Trump’s lawyers will each have up to two hours to deliver closing arguments before a final vote is cast.

Key Background

After the riots in the Capitol, McConnell harshly criticized Trump, saying “the mob was fed lies“ and were “provoked by the president.” But from the start, it has seemed extremely unlikely the Senate could gather up the 16 Republican votes necessary to convict Trump, assuming all Democrats do as well. Only 6 Republicans voted to move forward with the impeachment trial on Tuesday.

Crucial Quote

“Colleagues–as I have said for some time, today’s vote is a vote of conscience and I know we will all treat it as such. I have been asked directly by a number of you how I intend to vote, so thought it right to make that known prior to the final note,” McConnell said in the note Saturday. “While a close call, I am persuaded that impeachments are a tool primarily of removal, and we therefore lack jurisdiction. The Constitution makes perfectly clear that Presidential criminal misconduct while in office can be prosecuted after the President has left office, which in my view alleviates the otherwise troubling ‘January exception’ argument raised by the House. Given these conclusions, I will vote to acquit.”

What To Watch For

A vote to convict would bar Trump from running for public office again.

Further Reading

Trump Reportedly Told McCarthy Rioters Were ‘More Upset About The Election’ Than He Was During Attack (Forbes)

Dems weigh witness question as new details about Trump’s conduct revealed (Politico)


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