Collins Predicts It Is ‘Extraordinarily Unlikely’ the Senate Will Vote To Convict Trump
The current impeachment effort against former President Donald Trump is likely to end with the Senate acquitting him of the charge of “incitement of insurrection.”
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told reporters “do the math” on whether there were enough votes to meet the 67-vote threshold to convict Trump on the impeachment charge.
“I think it’s extraordinarily unlikely that the president will be convicted,” she added.
Sen. Susan Collins, one of five Republicans who voted with Dems on today's motion about the Constitutionality of the trial of former President Trump, tells reporters "do the math. I think it's extraordinarily unlikely that the president will be convicted." in an impeachment trial
— Lauren Fox (@FoxReports) January 26, 2021
Collins’ comments come after 45 Republican senators voted to declare the impeachment trial unconstitutional, as IJR reported.
The Maine senator was one of five Republicans to vote against the measure.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who also opposed the measure, told reporters, “Everyone was quite surprised… to take a vote on this today… I don’t feel like I was as prepared as I wanted.”
“The question deserved more considered review by us,” she added.
Sen. Murkowski said of today's vote on Constitutionality question of convicting an ex-President
— Lauren Fox (@FoxReports) January 26, 2021
"Everyone was quite surprised…to take a vote on this today." "I don't feel like I was as prepared as I wanted."
"The question deserved more considered review by us, the Senate."
President Joe Biden said he believes the impeachment trial “has to happen.” However, he said he does not believe that enough Republicans will vote to convict Trump.
Democrats currently hold 50-seats and would need 17 Republicans to break with the party to vote to convict Trump.
In 2020, every Democrat voted to convict Trump on two articles of impeachment. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) was the sole Republican to vote to convict Trump on an impeachment charge.
Trump is the first president to have been impeached twice and face a trial after he leaves office.
The impeachment trial is expected to begin on February 9.
isn’t she getting ready to retire… or maybe she has all ready retired and just can’t remember her way back to maine… i’m sure maine is real proud of the old hack…
GOP is soft on terrorism. Such a disgrace.
They appear to be selective on their response to terrorism. Domestic far-right terrorism appears to be okay with them even if the attack included threats to the life of VP Pence. The Party of “law and order” is very selective on enforcement of the laws when broken by Trump supporters.
So even Biden regards it as a waste of time and money.
Hold the vote anyway and get a permanent record of their votes, then primary the hell out of them and kick them out of office when possible.
The vote is not to dethrone President Who?. That ship has sailed. The vote is to make sure that NO FUTURE PRESIDENT ever gets the idea to pull a similar stunt, by holding 45 accountable today. If you can’t understand that, then you don’t deserve to be allowed to vote. YOU are dangerous.
Also dangerous are the voters that put them in office. I am pleased to report that BOTH my Senators voted against Sen. Paul’s notion that it was “unconstitutional” to impeach a POTUS after he left office. R’s are basing their vote on Turley’s 2021 argument that it is unconstitutional to impeach an official AFTER leaving office. Turley’s 1995 argument was that it was “constitutional” to impeach AFTER leaving office. I am drawing the conclusion R’s don’t believe in finding R elected officials guilty of ANYTHING.
They are of the “heads I win, tails you lose” ilk.
Perfect description of their mindset—BUT their mindset is extremely short-sighted.
Are they shortsighted, Phyllis? They have been myopic for many DECADES, so when is justice going to prevail!