Polling Shows Majority Of Americans Favor Trump's Impeachment
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Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts will not be presiding over Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial because Constitution ONLY requires a chief justice to preside over the trial of a SITTING president.
The reasoning behind having a Supreme Court Justice preside is to avoid the obvious conflict of interest that would occur if a Vice President presided over the proceedings of a sitting president.
Since Trump is no longer president, there is no conflict of interest. Therefore, pro tempore of the Senate Patrick Leahy of Vermont will preside.
What Is Pro Tempore?
The president pro tempore of the Senate is a constitutional role given to the longest-serving lawmaker in the majority party.
Leahy’s role is to ensure procedures are followed — not to present evidence.
Will Not Waiver
On Monday Leahy released a statement saying, “The president pro tempore has historically presided over Senate impeachment trials of non-presidents. When presiding over an impeachment trial, the president pro tempore takes an additional special oath to do impartial justice according to the Constitution and the laws. It is an oath that I take extraordinarily seriously.”
Leahy continued, “I consider holding the office of the president pro tempore and the responsibilities that come with it to be one of the highest honors and most serious responsibilities of my career. When I preside over the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, I will not waver from my constitutional and sworn obligations to administer the trial with fairness, in accordance with the Constitution and the laws.”
Impeachment Trial Starts Feb. 8
House impeachment managers delivered the articles of impeachment to the Senate on Monday evening. The Senate trial of Trump is scheduled to begin the week of Feb. 8, 2021.
The House voted to impeached Trump on January 13 after Trump incited a mob of rioters to attack our Nation’s Capitol on January 6.
Majority Of Americans Support Impeachment
Polling done by Monmouth University found that the majority of Americans support impeachment. Americans need 67 Senators to vote in favor of impeachment to convict Trump.
Trump has reportedly enlisted Butch Bowers of South Carolina to lead his legal defense. Bowers is reportedly an ally of Senator Lindsey Graham.
The attorneys who represented Trump in his first impeachment trial: Rudy Giuliani, Pat Cipollone, Jay Sekulow, Ken Starr and Alan Derschowitz are not defending Trump a second time.
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