Sen. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin Graham’s impeachment trial tests Trump’s control over the Senate Republican Party An attack on America that divided Congress – and a nation The Hill’s Morning Report – Biden asks Congress to expand the biggest bailout response in US history MORE (RS.C.) is urging the next Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer
Chuck SchumerBiden and the new Congress must protect Americans from public service closings in ‘Almost Paradise, West Virginia’ – Joe Manchin and Democrats in the 50-50 Senate seeking to accelerate the Senate impeachment trial MORE (DN.Y.) to hold a vote to reject the impeachment article against President Trump
Donald TrumpFacebook temporarily bans ads for weapon accessories after the riots at Sasse Capitol, in a burning opinion article, says QAnon is destroying GOP Section 230 worked on after the insurrection, but not before: How to regulate social media MORE approved by the House last week.
Graham wrote in a letter to Schumer on Sunday that the New York Democrat is seeking “revenge and political retaliation” in his first act as a majority leader, rather than initiating “national healing”.
“While the vice president and Senate Republicans rejected unconstitutional actions, you seek to impose on the Senate what would be just another unconstitutional action in this shameful saga – the impeachment trial of a former president,” added Graham.
House Democrats presented and approved an impeachment article against Trump for “inciting insurrection” after a crowd of his supporters invaded the United States Capitol earlier this month.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiMissouri woman seen with Pelosi sign accused of connection to riots on Capitol Hill Boebert’s communications director resigns amid riots on Capitol Hill: report Revising the power of forgiveness – let the president and Congress have a voice MORE (D-Calif.) And the members of his caucus said it is imperative that Trump, who will step down on Wednesday, when the elected president Joe Biden
Joe BidenMissouri wife seen with Pelosi sign accused of connection to Capitol riots. Facebook temporarily bans ads for weapon accessories after the riots at Capitol Sasse, in a fiery article, says QAnon is destroying GOP MORE he is sworn and convicted in the Senate because he remains a threat to the country.
Most Republicans on Capitol Hill argued that Trump’s impeachment and sentencing after a Senate trial would only further divide the country during a time of growing threats of political violence in Washington, DC and across the country.
“The power of impeachment exists to protect the nation from the damage that an incumbent president could inflict on the nation if he remained in office, not to justify political complaints after a president left office,” Graham said in his letter to Schumer on Sunday.
Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellBoebert communications director resigns amid Capitol riots: Urgency report escalates to new Senate Democratic voting rights bill suspicious of preventing obstruction MORE (R-Ky.) It would have expressed the desire to hold an impeachment trial in the Senate, even after Trump leaves office.
Other Senate Republicans agreed with that sentiment.
“The attack on the United States Capitol was an attack on democracy itself, and the president has some responsibility for what happened. … If the Senate proceeds with the impeachment trial, I will do my duty as a juror and hear the cases presented by both sides, “said the senator. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said.
Graham, who supported Trump’s unproven allegations of a “stolen” election, said he would not stand in the way of certifying the victory of Biden’s polling station after the Capitol riots.
“Trump and I had a hell of a trip,” Graham said that night. “I hate to be like that. Oh my God, I hate it … but today all I can say is tell me. Enough. I tried to be useful.”