The Senate acquitted President Donald Trump of an article that accused him of having incited the January 6 riots right there on Capitol Hill.
Seven Republican legislators finally joined the Democratic impeachment and condemned the actions of the then president on January 6, when a mob stormed the Capitol. Today’s voting closed 57 in favor and 43 against, not meeting the minimum requirement of two thirds (67 votes) of the Constitution.
Trump’s lawyer, Michael van der Veen, argued in closing arguments that Democrats were hypocritical for indicting Trump for a heated speech prior to the riot and said the procedure was unconstitutional.
“Throughout the summer, Democratic leaders , including the current president and vice president, repeatedly made comments that provided moral comfort to mobs attacking police officers ”, van der Veen said, citing New York Post.
Added that the Capitol raid that interrupted the certification of the victory of President Joe Biden and left five dead, in reality “it was planned and premeditated by fringe groups of left and right. ”
“ The meeting on January 6 was supposed to be a completely peaceful event, ”van der Veen said. He argued that local officials failed to provide adequate security to the Capitol.
Trump is the only president to stand trial more than once in US history. January 2020 was saved in the Senate from his first impeachment. That time he had been indicted to pressure Ukraine’s leaders to investigate then-presidential candidate Biden and his son Hunter Biden, in connection with business activities in that country.
Information in development.
The outcome was clear before a final verdict was rendered, as Republicans in a Senate still bruised from the most violent attack on the Capitol in two centuries banded together to reject the charge that Donald Trump incited a riot on Jan. 6. https://t.co/yJdudNptAS pic.twitter.com/7QktR1D62 d
– The New York Times (@nytimes)
February 13, 2021
The Senate voted 57 – 43 to acquit Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial. 67 votes were needed to convict the former president. See how every senator voted: https://t.co/sFzfMFuwcb pic.twitter.com/IAwHrogwjL
– The New York Times (@nytimes ) February 13, 2021
