The U.S. Senate considers the impeachment of former President Trump. Pictured from left to right: Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and former Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Former President Trump will be acquitted in the Senate impeachment case, according to South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. Some of the arguments made by Trump’s lawyers during opening arguments were previously criticized by Republicans.
Graham told reporters Wednesday (Feb. 10) that he and Trump discussed the possible outcome of impeachment deliberations after Trump’s lawyers, Bruce Castor and David Schoen, made their arguments.
“I think his team will do a better job and can do a better job,” Graham told reporters. “I stressed to the president that this case is over. Let’s wait for the final outcome now.”
Forty-four Republican senators, including Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, voted against holding impeachment deliberations against Trump on Tuesday night (Feb. 9). That showed the Senate could not meet the 67-vote threshold to convict Trump. The president’s lawyers say it is unconstitutional to impeach a former president.
Meanwhile, Graham described Trump’s mood after seeing the lawyers present their arguments, saying the former president did not seem frustrated. Some media outlets, citing anonymous sources, reported that Trump was angry at the performance of his lawyers on Tuesday.
Asked if he sensed some frustration from Trump about it, Graham revealed, “Well, no, nothing in particular.” “The point we were talking about was the vote, and I said, 44 people voted to say this is unconstitutional.”
Six Republican senators voted for impeachment consideration against Trump, joining all 50 members of the Senate Democrats. Among them, Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, joined the anti-Trump camp of Democrats. He said the debate by Trump’s lawyers seemed “disorganized” and “unfocused.”
Cassidy voted for Trump’s impeachment on Tuesday, the first Time he has joined the Democratic camp. He said, “They (the Trump lawyers) talked about a lot of things, but they didn’t talk about the issues at hand.”
The House impeachment managers, led by Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, argued that impeachment consideration of Trump is constitutional.
In response to a Republican vote for impeachment consideration of Trump, Graham noted that not all Republicans who voted for consideration would have voted to convict Trump.
He said, “I think the not guilty vote will probably be more than 44.” He added, “I respect Bill. He’s really a good senator. He’s done a great job here.”
“People get emotional about President Trump,” he noted, “and I’m sure Bill will be fine. He’ll end up voting his conscience. Let’s wait and see how he’ll vote.”
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