Mohamed Eltayeb
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives impeached President Trump for inciting the violent insurrection on the Capital on January 6.
Trump became the first US president in history to be impeached for a second time after previously being charged for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress on December 18, 2019. But what happens now? What exactly is impeachment? What are the consequences he may face?
Impeachment
The House voted 232 to 197 to charge Trump with “inciting violence against the United States government” for his role in supporting a large group of white supremacist terrorists in the US Capital attack; that left five dead, including a police officer.
Impeachment results
10 Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the articles of impeachment; Senator Mitch McConnell, the Senate’s senior Republican, has not decided on how he will vote. He intends to listen to the arguments presented in the Senate. The public often misunderstands impeachment, but it is relatively easy to understand. President commits “high crime or misdemeanor,” House votes to impeach, Senate conducts a trial. A two-thirds majority of the Senate is needed to convict him; however, it is unknown when the trial will start or how long the trial will last. “Given the rules, procedures, and Senate precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement.
Read the Articles of Impeachment here.
Senate Trial
The Senate is in recess until January 19, the day before Joe Biden will be sworn in as president and officially become President Joe Biden. There has been a debate between politicians on the impeachment’s timing, including Vice President Mike Pence, who believe it is not in the country’s best interest to impeach Trump since there is less than a week till he leaves office. However, Democrats argue that Trump is a clear threat to the country. Allowing him to remain in office without consequences may bring a foreseeable danger to the public, the nation, and the government. “He must go. He is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love,” she said, adding later, “It gives me no pleasure to say this — it breaks my heart,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday.
Without a doubt, Trump will be out of office before the Senate Trial ends, and the trial may take up to several weeks or even months. Trump’s first impeachment trial lasted 48 days. This trial is expected to be longer since the Senate will be busy with a confirmation hearing for Biden’s cabinet nominees, and there will be a transition in power this year. McConnell remains the Senate majority leader as of now, but as soon as Georgia’s Senate runoff elections are certified ~ were both democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock won, the Senate majority leader will transition to New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer. Which leads to the Democrats having more control over the trial.
Consequences
If the Senate convicts Trump, the Constitution allows for an additional vote to ban him from holding any office under the United States government ever again. This will disqualify him if he decides to run in 2024. The vote would require only a simple majority of 100 senators. Moreover, if convicted, Trump is prohibited from receiving the 1958 Former Presidents Act. This entitles the President a pension thought to be about $200,000 a year, an annual $1m for travel expenses, and staff salary.
To contact Mohamed Eltayeb, you can reach him through Twitter or send him an email at therealeltayeb@gmail.com
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