Could McConnell have really done this?
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) reportedly praised Democrats for launching Donald Trump’s impeachment trial after the Capitol Riot incident on January 6.
Following the incident, McConnell expressed his gratitude to the Democrats who took a stand against Trump. McConnell and Trump have long been political opponents according to reports, which is part of the reason why McConnell agreed that Trump should be impeached.
“The Democrats are going to take care of the son of a bitch for us,” McConnell said. “If this isn’t impeachable, I don’t know what is.”
McConnell, who previously used the media’s “violent insurrection,” framing for the event has also noted that he would support Trump’s impeachment. “Several senior Republicans, including John Thune of South Dakota and Rob Portman of Ohio, told confidants that Mr. McConnell was leaning that way,” stated a report in the Times.
Regarding the impeachment, many articles were sent to the Senate however, the debate soon ensued as Trump was no longer in office and as such an impeachment trial may not have been appropriate.
To settle that argument, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) submitted a motion to the Republican senators raising “the question of whether it is constitutional to impeach Trump after he left office.” Forty-five senators voted in favor, one of them was McConnell.
Trump was acquitted of all House charges since the vote was 57 to 43. Seven Senate Republicans backed the Democrats in voting to impeach, however, a two-third majority was needed for conviction and that was not achieved.
After Trump was acquitted McConnell reportedly said to a friend that he voted in favor of Trump because he needs others’ to support him to maintain his position. “I didn’t get to be a leader by voting with five people in the conference,” McConnell said.
