With Trump impeachment trial over, wounded Washington grapples with divisions

[webfact]

With Trump impeachment trial over, wounded Washington grapples with divisions

By Jeff Mason and Susan Cornwell

 

FILE PHOTO: The U.S. Capitol is seen through ice-covered tree branches after the Senate voted to acquit former U.S. President Donald Trump during his impeachment trial, in Washington, U.S. February 13, 2021. REUTERS/Erin Scott

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former President Donald Trump's acquittal on charges of inciting a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol left Democrats and Republicans deeply divided on Sunday even as his Democratic successor, Joe Biden, sought to move on with his political and economic agenda.

 

Democrats said they looked to the courts for possible civil and criminal charges against the former Republican president over the assault by his supporters on Jan. 6, which left five people dead.

 

The Senate trial concluded on Saturday with a 57-43 vote in favor of convicting Trump. The vote was bipartisan, with seven Republicans joining Democrats and independents, but the tally fell short of the two-thirds needed to secure conviction.

 

After the verdict, a fractured Republican party was battling over the way forward, with some senators who voted to convict facing swift backlash in their home states.

 

Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham said he had talked to Trump on Saturday night about uniting the Republican party under his leadership.

 

"You know, he is ready to move on and rebuild the Republican Party. He's excited about 2022," Graham told Fox News Sunday, referring to congressional elections next year.

 

But Senator Bill Cassidy, one of the Republicans who found Trump guilty, said on Sunday he believed more of his constituents would come to agree with him as the facts became known. Republican party leaders in Cassidy's home state of Louisiana voted on Saturday to censure the senator for his vote.

 

"I'm attempting to hold President Trump accountable ... I am very confident as time passes, people will move to that position," Cassidy said on ABC's "This Week" when asked about censure.

 

The party leader in Pennsylvania, Lawrence Tabas, also criticized its Republican Senator Pat Toomey for voting to convict.

 

Some Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, criticized Trump's actions on Jan. 6 even as they voted to acquit him. McConnell blasted the former president on Saturday as morally responsible for the Capitol attack, but said he didn't vote to convict because Trump was no longer in office.

 

The effort to sanction Trump at his second impeachment trial fell short of the votes needed to convict, but still amounted to an historic bipartisan rebuke for a former president - and he may yet face legal consequences. This report produced by Zachary Goelman.

 

Cassidy declined to say whether Trump should face criminal charges. But Democratic Senator Chris Coons told ABC he thought this could happen.

 

"I think there's ground for further proceedings, both civil and criminal, against former President Trump," Coons said.

 

Coons said the country needed to set up a 9/11-style commission to investigate the events of Jan. 6. But he and other Democrats said it was the correct decision not to call witnesses in the Senate trial. Calling witnesses might have prolonged the trial by weeks and even lost some votes to convict on the Republican side, Democratic Senator Chris Murphy told CNN.

 

'DEMOCRACY IS FRAGILE'

The assault on the Capitol forced lawmakers to evacuate congressional chambers in fear for their safety in the middle certifying Biden's win in the November election, which Trump falsely maintained he lost due to widespread electoral fraud.

 

Biden, who took office on Jan. 20, appealed for unity to "heal this uncivil war and heal the very soul of our nation," saying each American had a duty and a responsibility to defend the truth.

 

"This sad chapter in our history has reminded us that democracy is fragile. That it must always be defended. That we must be ever vigilant. That violence and extremism has no place in America," Biden said in a statement.

 

Trump, while hailing the acquittal, called the House impeachment and trial in the Senate a "witch hunt." Trump is the only president in U.S. history to be impeached twice.

 

Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi called Republicans who did not support conviction “cowardly.”

 

Biden, who stayed largely out of the fray during the impeachment proceedings, is eager to pass a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill and have the remaining nominees for his Cabinet confirmed by the Senate. But lawmakers' disagreements are likely to linger.

 

The Republican Senators who voted in favor of conviction also included Richard Burr, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney and Ben Sasse.

 

Murkowski, of Alaska, is the only one of the seven up for re-election in 2022. The other six either are retiring from Congress or their six-year terms do not expire that year.

 

Murkowski published a defense of her decision on Twitter on Sunday, saying that if Trump's actions were not worthy of impeachment, "I cannot imagine what is."

 

Trump has repeatedly threatened to go after Republicans who do not support him by endorsing opponents in their primary elections. On Saturday he indicated he was thinking about his own political future, without divulging details.

 

(Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk, Raphael Satter and Richard Cowan; Editing by Mary Milliken and Sonya Hepinstall)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-15

 

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[RJRS1301]

15 minutes ago, webfact said:

Trump ally Senator Lindsey Graham said he had talked to Trump on Saturday night about uniting the Republican party under his leadership.

 

"You know, he is ready to move on and rebuild the Republican Party. He's excited about 2022," Graham told Fox News Sunday, referring to congressional elections next year.

Trump, uniting, same sentence=oxymoron

DJ Teflon is the most devisive occupant the WH has ever seen, as a private citizen with no filters, he is a more of a concern regarding his enablers and supporters.

 

[PatOngo]

One thing was left perfectly clear after the impeachment vote, the Republicans are a bunch of spineless cowards. The door is still open for the insurrectionist EX president to return and spread his poison and promote more violence again! Well done America, God bless!

[Tug]

One thing for sure I’ll never ever vote republican again as far as I’m concerned they are enemy to think they let that ( insert word here) get away with sending a lynch mob after the Vice President just beggers belief I’m sure there are many who feel as I do

[pacovl46]

Well, it’s official now. Republicans are a spineless disgrace! Thanks for showing yet again your true colors for everyone to see. I hope people will learn from this! 

[PatOngo]

28 minutes ago, pacovl46 said:

Well, it’s official now. Republicans are a spineless disgrace! Thanks for showing yet again your true colors for everyone to see. I hope people will learn from this! 

After four years of Trump, people are very slow learners!

[Jeffr2]

Sad times in the US. All due to spineless and corrupt politicians. The GOP desperately needs reform.

[canuckamuck]

A rare good day for justice, shame on the Democrats for wasting so much time on a sham trial. Shameful.

[JCauto]

2 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

A rare good day for justice, shame on the Democrats for wasting so much time on a sham trial. Shameful.

Could you explain for us why Mitch McConnell said that Trump was responsible for it? Is he a Democrat?

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, canuckamuck said:

A rare good day for justice, shame on the Democrats for wasting so much time on a sham trial. Shameful.

Trial in the Senate is nothing at all to do with ‘justice’ it’s pure politics.

 

The outcome of this trial is the GOP Senators have been put firmly on record on where they stand on Trump’s failed coup.

 

The ramifications are already damaging the GOP driving wedges between the GOP and ‘middle America’.

 

Twice the GOP Senators had a chance to be rid of Trump, twice they could not find their backbone.

 

They’ll pay a price for this self serving cowardice.

 

 

[PatOngo]

2 minutes ago, JCauto said:

Could you explain for us why Mitch McConnell said that Trump was responsible for it? Is he a Democrat?

Old Mitch should be turned out to pasture, has well past his use by date!

[polpott]

5 minutes ago, Jeffr2 said:

Sad times in the US. All due to spineless and corrupt politicians. The GOP desperately needs reform.

Not really true. The thing that republican senators fear most, like all other politicians, is not being re-elected and they know that they can't be re-elected without the support of Trump's base.

 

Trump's base has wandered in the wilderness without a voice. Trump gave them that voice. Even if trump died tomorrow, the cat is out of the bag. 40% of Americans are openly racists/white supremacists, they will no longer be silenced. They are a minority but a big minority. If the US were to hold a referendum to bring back slavery, the result would be a close run thing. Woe betide any Republican lawmaker who doesn't pander to them.

[Tug]

10 minutes ago, polpott said:

Not really true. The thing that republican senators fear most, like all other politicians, is not being re-elected and they know that they can't be re-elected without the support of Trump's base.

 

Trump's base has wandered in the wilderness without a voice. Trump gave them that voice. Even if trump died tomorrow, the cat is out of the bag. 40% of Americans are openly racists/white supremacists, they will no longer be silenced. They are a minority but a big minority. If the US were to hold a referendum to bring back slavery, the result would be a close run thing. Woe betide any Republican lawmaker who doesn't pander to them.

No you are mistaken (I’m trying to be polite) a lot of Americans did respond to the politics of fear (caravans blm ect ect)the (news) outfits that openly push that garbage and a potus that exploited it have a lot to do with it as well.what would have happened if we had a potus that responded differently to the murder of George Floyd?one that addressed the issue instead of fanning the flames creating divisions no sir trump would have lost by a much wider margin than he did he is destroying the Republican Party 

[vandeventer]

 Democrats, bad winners and bad losers! The magnificent 7 who voted against Trump will not be coming back in 2022 as these Rhino's will not divide the party.

 

[PatOngo]

3 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

Democrats, bad winners and bad losers!

But winners all the same!

[canuckamuck]

32 minutes ago, JCauto said:

Could you explain for us why Mitch McConnell said that Trump was responsible for it? Is he a Democrat?

He seems to be.

[PatOngo]

7 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

Democrats, bad winners and bad losers!

But winners all the same, now who was that other very bad loser on the other side of the fence, you know, the one that insighted an insurrection?

 

 

Edited February 15, 2021 by PatOngo

[canuckamuck]

31 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Trial in the Senate is nothing at all to do with ‘justice’ it’s pure politics.

 

The outcome of this trial is the GOP Senators have been put firmly on record on where they stand on Trump’s failed coup.

 

The ramifications are already damaging the GOP driving wedges between the GOP and ‘middle America’.

 

Twice the GOP Senators had a chance to be rid of Trump, twice they could not find their backbone.

 

They’ll pay a price for this self serving cowardice.

 

 

The two party system is the bane of American democracy. Perhaps Americans are going to have some actual choices someday.

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

He seems to be.

Which is an example of precisely why acquitting Trump is causing problems for tge GOP.

 

This is all good news for the Democrats.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, canuckamuck said:

The two party system is the bane of American democracy. Perhaps Americans are going to have some actual choices someday.

A split in the GOP seems likely.

 

Good news for the Democrats.

[PatOngo]

1 minute ago, canuckamuck said:

The two party system is the bane of American democracy. Perhaps Americans are going to have some actual choices someday.

That could complicate things, too many choices, they have enough trouble dealing with two!

[tifino]

5 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

8 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

The two party system is the bane of American democracy. Perhaps Americans are going to have some actual choices someday.

That could complicate things, too many choices, they have enough trouble dealing with two!

 

the two-party-Preferred voting systems actually works though... 

 

Voters submit who they want as their first preference

 

If their vote goes to one of the 'minor' nominees - that Nominee has already made it known who they will direct their received votes, to...... 

 

so if party A get 1000 votes

 

and party B gets 1111 votes 

 

party 'A' can still get in front, if the minor party 'C' has more than those 111 votes, and  directed all those received votes to party 'A' 

 

This system allows a wider number of Nominees to Run, and all the Voters need to know is whether their favourite Nominee is on one side of the fence or is tending towards the other...    side 45 or side 46 

[Jeffr2]

59 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

A rare good day for justice, shame on the Democrats for wasting so much time on a sham trial. Shameful.

You really need a better source for your news. Stunning just to blame the dems. Wow.

[Jeffr2]

29 minutes ago, vandeventer said:

 Democrats, bad winners and bad losers! The magnificent 7 who voted against Trump will not be coming back in 2022 as these Rhino's will not divide the party.

 

Sad that you bash those who voted their conscience rather than bow to a corrupt politician. Boggles my mind and shows why the US is so divided. Tribal politics.

[Jeffr2]

56 minutes ago, polpott said:

Not really true. The thing that republican senators fear most, like all other politicians, is not being re-elected and they know that they can't be re-elected without the support of Trump's base.

 

Trump's base has wandered in the wilderness without a voice. Trump gave them that voice. Even if trump died tomorrow, the cat is out of the bag. 40% of Americans are openly racists/white supremacists, they will no longer be silenced. They are a minority but a big minority. If the US were to hold a referendum to bring back slavery, the result would be a close run thing. Woe betide any Republican lawmaker who doesn't pander to them.

Liz Cheney voted her conscience. She didn't care about being reelected. She stood by her oath of office. Unlike the other who were spineless.

 

Time for politicians to be leaders. Not bow to the demands of a sometimes clueless minority base.

 

It does show how bad racism is in the US. Sucks.

[NumbNut]

28 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

The two party system is the bane of American democracy. Perhaps Americans are going to have some actual choices someday.

Be careful what you wish for

[Scott]

Troll post reported and removed. 

 

[vandeventer]

3 hours ago, PatOngo said:

After four years of Trump, people are very slow learners!

The only slow learners are the kids in the blue states as the teachers union don't want to teach anymore just get paid.

[nauseus]

2 hours ago, JCauto said:

Could you explain for us why Mitch McConnell said that Trump was responsible for it? Is he a Democrat?

Just the last three letters.

[whitewolfchefny]

3 hours ago, PatOngo said:

But winners all the same, now who was that other very bad loser on the other side of the fence, you know, the one that insighted an insurrection?

 

I Can Tell By Your Remarks You Reviewed The Evidence Quite Closely. Not!!!!