Senate Acquits Trump of Inciting Deadly Capitol Riot on January 6

The U.S. Senate last night acquitted former President Donald Trump in a 57-43 vote on the charge of inciting the deadly insurrection in the January 6 Capitol riot, which led to the death of five people including a police officer.

 

Most of the Republican’s Senate, but seven, sidestepped Democrats’ central argument over Trump’s claim of the election results and his incendiary remarks hours before a mob stormed the Capitol, which the Democrat demanded that he be convicted and barred from taking an office in the future.

Seven Republicans that voted guilty in the most bipartisan majority to support an impeachment are Mitt Romney of Utah, Rechard Burr of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. Still, the vote for impeachment was 10 votes short as the Democrat needs a total of 17 votes from the Republican.

 

Trump’s defense team denied the allegation of the former president’s actions inciting the riot and argued that Trump’s rhetoric was protected under the First Amendment. Meanwhile, his lawyers also stated that the trial was unconstitutional since Trump was a private citizen and no longer a president.

 

In the U.S. history, there has never been impeached as well as no Senate trial ever been held for a former president.