Two Republican senators pledge to be open to Trump’s second impeachment trial

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Ohio Senator Rob Portman, a moderate Republican, told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union” that he believed Trump’s comments leading up to the Capitol attack were partly responsible for the violence and that he will keep an open mind. to hold.

“I have said regarding the President’s comments that day that they were partly responsible for what happened to the terrible violence on Capitol Hill. I have also said that what he did was wrong and inexcusable. because that’s how I feel. We’ll see. I’m a juror and will have an open mind, but I think the constitutionality issue needs to be addressed, “said Portman, who will not pursue reelection after his term in office in 2022 expires.

Another moderate Republican, Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, told Fox News separately on Sunday that he would hold off making a decision on his vote based on the evidence presented in the trial.

“The evidence, as I understand, will focus on whether or not the president contributed to an atmosphere to make people attack the Capitol, burglary, threatening, if you will, both members of Congress and vice-president (Mike) Pence. So I hope any defense refutes that charge, “he said.

The comments come hours after Trump’s five impeachment lawyers left the team, according to people familiar with the case, amid disagreements over his legal strategy.

A person familiar with the departure told CNN that Trump wanted lawyers to claim mass electoral fraud and the election was stolen from him rather than focusing on the legality of condemning a president after he took office. has left. Trump was not open to the discussions of how to proceed in that regard.

CNN previously reported that Senate Republicans who criticized Trump without doing anything about his actions are hoping to distance themselves from the former president without casting votes that could trigger a backlash from Trump and his ardent supporters. Many say something needs to be done about what Trump did, but just not by them.

The rhetoric shows the divisions between House and Senate Republicans as the party struggles to find its voice after the tumultuous Trump era. Many House Republicans remain staunch Trump defenders, saying he has done nothing wrong and should not be blamed for the violence that has taken place in the Capitol.

Portman said on Sunday that he believed a vote in the Senate last week, forced by Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, was not about rejecting the impeachment trial, but rather a vote to initiate a discussion of constitutionality. He believes the constitutionality of sentencing a former president should be discussed. “The vote was not about rejecting the trial, but about not discussing constitutionality as a critical issue,” he said.

Many Democrats and Republicans have pointed to the vote on Paul’s motion to vote on the constitutionality of Trump’s impeachment process as an indicator of how the final vote of the process is likely to land. Only five Republicans joined all Democrats to overturn the Kentucky Republican Party’s motion, and it makes no sense that anywhere near 17 Republicans would vote to condemn the former president.
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To condemn Trump, at least 17 Republicans will have to vote with all Democrats when the trial begins. Significantly, Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell sided with Paul in the vote – a possible indicator that he agrees with the constitutionality of ousting a former president.

The Democrat-run house has already voted to impeach Trump and charge him with instigating insurgency for the attack on the Capitol that killed several people. But two-thirds of the senate should vote to condemn Trump after a trial, an extremely high bar to purge.

CNN’s Clare Foran, Manu Raju and Ted Barrett contributed to this story.

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