After the second impeachment trial, Donald Trump, former president, has been acquitted — again. The final vote was 57-43 in favor of acquitting Trump. Democrats needed a two-thirds majority to convict Trump.
Only seven Republicans voted to convict him: These are the seven Republicans who voted to convict the former President: Richard Burr, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, and Pat Toomey.
Trump was impeached by the House in January for his “incitement of insurrection” on the Capitol. The impeachment trial lasted five days.
President Biden gave a statement on the final decision, including how ‘fragile’ our democracy is.
“Today, 57 Senators – including a record 7 Republicans – voted to find former President Trump guilty for inciting that deadly insurrection on our very democracy. The Senate vote followed the bipartisan vote to impeach him by the House of Representatives. While the final vote did not lead to a conviction, the substance of the charge is not in dispute. Even those opposed to the conviction, like Senate Minority Leader McConnell, believe Donald Trump was guilty of a “disgraceful dereliction of duty” and “practically and morally responsible for provoking” the violence unleashed on the Capitol.”
“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. And that each of us has a duty and responsibility as Americans, and especially as leaders, to defend the truth and to defeat the lies.”
