Sen. Tom Cotton
Tom Bryant CottonWe’ve seen this movie before – Rumors of Trump’s political death are far-fetched The third-tier Democratic Senate asks Hawley and Cruz to resign after an attack on Capitol Hill Hawley calls police officer death a ‘devastating tragedy’ MORE (R-Ark.), An influential conservative and possible candidate for the White House in 2024, says the Senate has no constitutional authority to conduct an impeachment trial for President Trump
Donald Trump An increasing number of Republican lawmakers say they support impeachment. YouTube temporarily prevents the upload of new content on the Trump channel. House approves move asking Pence to remove Trump MORE once he leaves office.
“The Senate lacks constitutional authority to conduct impeachment proceedings against a former president. The founders designed the impeachment process as a way to remove public office occupants – not an investigation against private citizens, ”said Cotton in a statement late on Wednesday.
Cotton’s justification for not voting to convict Trump as soon as he leaves office is likely to become political cover for other Republican senators to vote against a House-approved impeachment article, even if they think Trump may have committed impeachable crimes.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellHouse approves measure asking Pence to remove Trump Trump, relationship with Republican Party deteriorates suddenly Kinzinger says he will vote for Trump’s impeachment MORE (R-Ky.) He announced on Wednesday that Trump’s second impeachment trial will not begin until the Senate returns from a recess scheduled to end on January 19. This means that the quickest the trial can begin will be at 1 pm on January 20, the same president-elect day Joe Biden
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“Given the Senate rules, procedures and precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial will be concluded before President-elect Biden’s oath next week. The Senate held three presidential impeachment trials. They lasted 83 days, 37 days and 21 days, respectively, ”said McConnell.
Cotton, in his statement late on Wednesday, also argued that the Senate would not be able to complete Trump’s trial in the next six days.
“The Chamber passed an impeachment article against the president, but the Senate under its rules and precedents cannot initiate and conclude a fair trial before the president leaves office next week,” he said.
The House voted 232 to 197 on Wednesday for Trump’s impeachment a second time, with 10 Republican lawmakers voting in favor of the article, which accused Trump of inciting insurrection after a pro-Trump crowd took over the U.S. Capitol this week. last.
The article accuses Trump of “repeatedly issuing false statements claiming that the presidential election results were the product of widespread fraud” and incited a crowd that “illegally violated and vandalized the Capitol, wounded and killed law enforcement officials” and “threatened members of Congress . ”
Cotton condemned the violence and said the troublemakers should be fully prosecuted.
“‘There is no complaint that is subject to redress under the mob law.’ These words are as true today as when Abraham Lincoln spoke them. As I said last summer, when mob violence took over our streets, I say again about mob violence at our nation’s Capitol last week: responsible people should be held accountable in courts to the full extent of law, ”he said.
But the Arkansas legislator said, “Fidelity to the Constitution must always remain the guiding star of our nation.”
“Last week, I opposed the effort to reject certified electoral votes for the same reason – allegiance to the Constitution – now I am opposed to impeachment cases against a former president,” said Cotton.