Donald Trump has had the honor of being the only US president to be impeached twice by the House of Representatives, now the Senate is about to rule on his post-president future.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on Friday January 22nd that the Trump’s impeachment trial would begin on February 8th.
The impeachment trial was to begin next week but the Democratic Senate Majority Leader allowed for a week extension to facilitate both sides to prepare their presentations, and lets senators continue to confirm President Biden’s cabinet nominees before all regular Senate business halts while a trial is conducted.
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This year’s senate impeachment trial is expected to be very different from last year when Republican controlled senate acquitted Trump.
The bone of contention is that Trump’s impeachment is happening when he is no longer president. Some Republicans have argued that it is unconstitutional to impeach a president who is no longer in office, but the Constitution does not specify whether a president needs to be in office to be impeached.
Below are the 7 things you need to know about the Senate impeachment trial:
- The House impeachment managers will deliver the single article of impeachment to the Senate on Monday, January 25.
- Senators will be sworn in as members of the impeachment court the following day, on Tuesday, January 26.
- Both the impeachment managers and Trump’s lawyers will each have time to deliver legal briefs stating their cases, before the trial formally begins two weeks after the article was first delivered to the Senate.
- It is not clear how long the second trial will last, or what evidence either side would choose to bring.
- The chief justice of the Supreme Court traditionally presides over an impeachment trial in accordance with the constitution, but he may not want to participate in a second impeachment trial against Trump. In that case, Vice President Kamala Harris would preside over the trial as president of the Senate, or, if she opts against doing so, Senate president pro tempore Patrick Leahy would preside.
- A two-thirds majority of the Senate, 67 votes, is required to convict the president. Democrats hold 50 seats in the Senate, they need to flip 17 Republicans to convict Trump.
- If Trump is convicted by the Senate, Congress would then vote on whether to bar him from seeking elected office again. Only a simple majority is needed to bar him from holding office.
Related: Republicans Call For Delay In Trump’s Impeachment Trial At The Senate