Trump impeachment to go to Senate Monday, triggering trial

WASHINGTON (AP):

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that she will send the article of impeachment against Donald Trump to the Senate on Monday, triggering the start of the former president’s trial on a charge of incitement of insurrection over the deadly Capitol January 6 riot.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer announced Pelosi’s intentions for a quick trial on the Senate floor Friday, rejecting Republicans’ proposal to push it to mid-February to give Trump more time to prepare his case. Schumer said there will be “a full trial, it will be a fair trial”.

Pelosi said her nine impeachment managers, or House prosecutors, are “ready to begin to make their case” against Trump. She said Trump’s team will have had the same amount of time.

Trump, who told his supporters to “fight like hell” just before they invaded the Capitol two weeks ago and stopped the electoral vote count, is the first president to be twice impeached and the first to face a trial after leaving office. He is still assembling his legal team.

While the transmission of the article starts the trial proceedings, the schedule remains uncertain as the Senate, now in Democratic control, is also working to swiftly confirm President Joe Biden’s Cabinet nominees and tackle the new administration’s legislative priorities.

Biden has repeatedly said that he believes the Senate can do both. Schumer said he is also speaking to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell about the “timing and duration” of the proceedings ahead.

Democrats would need the support of at least 17 Republicans to convict Trump, a high bar. While most Republican senators condemned Trump’s actions that day, far fewer appear to be ready to convict.

A handful of Senate Republicans have indicated they are open – but not committed – to conviction. But most have said they believe a trial will be divisive and questioned the legality of trying a president after he has left office.

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally who has been helping the former president find lawyers to represent him, said Friday there is “a very compelling constitutional case” on whether Trump can be impeached after his term – an assertion that Democrats reject. Graham also suggested that Republicans will argue Trump’s words on January 6 were not legally “incitement”.

“On the facts, they’ll be able to mount a defence, so the main thing is to give him a chance to prepare and run the trial orderly, and hopefully the Senate will reject the idea of pursuing presidents after they leave office,” Graham said.