Senator Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Said in a statement on Wednesday that he would oppose another Senate impeachment trial after the House passed an impeachment article alleging that President Trump incited the Capitol riot and is inappropriate for the post.
Cotton pointed out that the Senate will not be able to “initiate and conclude a fair trial” while Trump is in office, and the Founders “designed the impeachment process as a way of removing occupiers from public office – not an investigation against private citizens”.
SEE THE PHOTOS: WASHINGTON’S SECURITY PREPS IN HIGH MARCH FOR OPENING
Trump was impeached a second time after being accused of “inciting insurrection” due to the crowd’s deadly siege of the Capitol. Ten Republican members of the House joined the Democrats and said the president needs to be held accountable.
Democrats were pressuring Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., To invoke a 2004 resolution that could quickly bring the Senate back to what would essentially be an emergency session to begin the impeachment trial as soon as possible. fast as possible. But McConnell’s office said on Wednesday it will not invoke the resolution, meaning that any impeachment trial will almost certainly not begin until Trump leaves office.
Cotton was once seen as an ally of the president, but some Trump supporters criticized him after he said he would not object to the counting of certified electoral votes to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.
Cotton said in the statement that allegiance to the Constitution must always “remain the guiding star of our nation”.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
“Congress and the Executive should focus entirely over the next week on conducting a safe and orderly transfer of power,” he said in a statement. “After January 20, Congress must continue with the people’s business: improving our vaccination efforts, taking children back to school and getting workers back to work.”
Fox News’ Tyler Olson and the Associated Press contributed to this report