Just like that, the impeachment trial of Donald Trump is done. If it seems like the process came and went pretty quickly, that’s because it did. Last week, Republican senators blocked a vote that would’ve introduced more key evidence into the trial, including key witnesses and documents. On Wednesday, in an unsurprising move, senators voted in an almost party-line vote to acquit Trump of the two charges against him — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
But, Trump wasn't acquitted on a huge majority. The results, which were 47-53 and 48-52 on each count, included one Republican vote to convict Trump on abuse of power — Senator Mitt Romney was the lone Republican who broke from party ranks. It was a surprise twist that’s certain to make him a target within the GOP, but it was Democratic women like presidential hopefuls that remained strong in their votes to charge from from the beginning.
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Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren — as well as Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, Tammy Duckworth, and other women senators — who have advocated for Trump’s impeachment and removal from office all along, and don't plan to stay silent now that he will remain in office.
“I am sickened by what my Republican colleagues have been saying,” Klobuchar said in a recent MSNBC interview. “I think this is a search for the truth. Regardless of how they will vote on impeachment, I think one of the most critical moments was when we had that 51-49 vote on witnesses. They didn’t want to hear the truth.”
On Twitter, Warren applauded Romney for his vote to convict, but condemned the majority of Republican senators who refused to do the same. “Donald Trump pressured a foreign government to interfere in our election,” Warren said. “He undermined our diplomatic relationships and put our national security at risk. He exploits our government for his personal gain — and Republicans just voted to protect him.”
Donald Trump pressured a foreign government to interfere in our election. He undermined our diplomatic relationships and put our national security at risk. He exploits our government for his personal gain—and Republicans just voted to protect him.
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) February 5, 2020
She added that these are “hard times,” but that giving up isn’t the way forward. The Massachusetts senator encouraged her followers to hold onto hope. “People are frustrated and angry — but we must not be discouraged,” Warren said. “Now more than ever, we must choose courage and hope over fear. Now is our moment to fight back. We have defeated corruption before, and we will do it again.”
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Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who dropped out the 2020 election also spoke out against the Republican-led vote, coming after weeks of Democrats demanding that witnesses in Trump's investigation be allowed to testify. Gillibrand, who referred to the House's investigation findings as "disturbing," has advocated for serious action against Trump from the start.
Those who lack courage in this moment—those who are unwilling to do what they know in their conscience to be right—will be remembered as complicit.
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) February 5, 2020
Now, for the first time ever, an impeached president is running for re-election. Some social media posts have suggested that since the Senate did not convict Trump, he can now run for two additional terms. However, fact-checkers at the Poynter Institute have confirmed that those claims aren’t true. Still, he can certainly be re-elected for one more term, a reality that the American public shouldn’t overlook when they head to the polls in November.
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