Klobuchar says the former official’s Senate impeachment trial is constitutional: ‘We have precedent’

Klobuchar says the former official’s Senate impeachment trial is constitutional: ‘We have precedent’

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Sen. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharSunday shows the preview: All eyes on the Biden government to fight the coronavirus Do Democrats really want unity? Democrats seek answers about the impact of the Russian cyber attack on the Justice Department, courts MORE (D-Minn.) On Sunday, he defended the impeachment trial of the former President TrumpDonald TrumpNYT: Deputy Perry played a role in Trump’s alleged plan to expel AG Arizona GOP censors leading state Republicans McCain, Flake and Ducey Biden and the UK Prime Minister discuss NATO, multilateralism during call MORE, saying it is constitutional and rejecting arguments from his Republican colleagues.

Host George StephanopoulosGeorge Robert StephanopoulosOfficials prepare for Trump’s second impeachment trial Biden spokesman: Capitol inauguration will demonstrate ‘resilience of American democracy’ The newly installed Republican legislator says he may have ended his career by voting for Trump’s impeachment MORE asked Klobuchar on ABC’s “This Week” program for a response to those who argue that the lawsuit is unconstitutional because Trump is no longer in office.

“It is constitutional. We have precedents since when a secretary of war was tried after leaving office. And, obviously, there was a remedy that would help in the future, that would prohibit former President Trump from running again, ”replied Klobuchar.

The senator was probably referring to War Secretary William Belknap, who was accused of taking bribes from political appointees in 1876. Belknap resigned before his trial began, but the Senate at the time agreed that he had jurisdiction for impeachment of government officials who had left the position.

Stephanopoulos on Sunday also asked Klobuchar whether or not there is enough support among Republican senators that Trump’s second impeachment trial in the Senate would result in a conviction.

“My colleagues have not yet committed to what they are going to do,” said Klobuchar, pointing to a recent New York Times article that reported that Trump tried to remove and replace Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen in an attempt to overturn the results of elections in Georgia.

“As if it weren’t enough that he sent a furious crowd to the mall to invade the Capitol, he didn’t try to stop it and a police officer was killed,” added Klobuchar. “I really don’t know what else you need to know. The facts were there, we saw it right there on the platform during the inauguration, because you can still see the spray paint at the bottom of many of the columns. “

When asked whether other options are being considered in relation to Trump, such as censorship, Klobuchar said Democratic senators were focused on impeachment, but acknowledged that “there are many options”.

– Updated at 11:16 am

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