The US House of Representatives has delivered to the Senate the articles of impeachment against former President Donald Trump for inciting the riot at the Capitol building on January 6.
Ahead of the former President's trial slated for next month, allies of Trump are trying to persuade GOP senators to vote against his conviction in next month's impeachment trial, The Hill reported.
"There are several incumbent Republicans up in 2022 that would be vulnerable in a primary, from Roy Blount to Todd Young and John Thune and many others," said one prominent operative in Trump's orbit, as quoted by The Hill. "The last thing these guys need is a pissed off Trump gunning for them."
Last week, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that Trump's impeachment trial is scheduled to begin the week of February 8. It will be the first time in US history that any president faced two impeachment trials or that any president was impeached after he left office.
"We all want to put this awful chapter in our nation's history behind us. But healing and unity will only come if there is truth and accountability and that is what this trial will provide," CNN quoted Chuck Schumer as saying.
Senate leaders struck a deal on Friday to delay former President Donald J. Trump's impeachment trial for two weeks, giving President Biden time to install his cabinet and begin moving a legislative agenda before they begin a historic proceeding to try his predecessor for "incitement of insurrection."
On January 13, one week before Biden took office, the lower chamber in the US Congress voted 232-197 to impeach Trump on charges of inciting violence against the US government. Although Trump is no longer president, the Senate could still convict him and vote to ban him from ever running for office again.
It was the second time Trump was impeached by the Democratic-controlled House. The first time he was acquitted by the Senate in February of last year (with only 1 Republican voting in favor of one article of impeachment). However, unlike the impeachment over the Ukraine aid scandal, GOP House lawmakers broke rank--with 10 voting to impeach Trump.
It will take 67 votes in the 100-seat Senate to convict Trump on the impeachment charges. This would require 17 GOP senators to break rank.
( With inputs from ANI )
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