[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] It has been confirmed that the majority of U.S. Republican senators believe that the impeachment of former President Donald Trump does not comply with the Constitution. The impeachment trial of former President Trump, scheduled to begin on the 8th of next month (local time), is also likely to be dismissed.
According to major foreign media on the 26th (local time), a procedural vote on the impeachment of former President Trump was held in the U.S. Senate that day. The proposal submitted by Republican Senator Rand Paul stated that Trump's impeachment does not comply with the Constitution and that the impeachment trial should be halted. A procedural vote is a process to decide whether to proceed with a vote on a bill, requiring at least 60 votes in favor.
The proposal was rejected with 55 votes against and 45 votes in favor. Accordingly, the impeachment trial of former President Trump is expected to proceed as scheduled.
However, analysis suggests that the impeachment is likely to be dismissed in the end. The impeachment requires the approval of two-thirds of the Senate (67 members), but considering the procedural vote results, it seems difficult to meet the approval threshold.
Currently, the U.S. Senate is evenly split with 50 seats each for the Democratic and Republican parties. More than 17 Republicans need to support Trump's impeachment, but in the procedural vote, the majority of 45 Republican senators judged that the impeachment process itself does not comply with the Constitution. Among Republican senators, only five?Susan Collins (Maine), Mitt Romney (Utah), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Ben Sasse (Nebraska), and Pat Toomey (Pennsylvania)?voted in favor along with the Democrats.
Senator Rand Paul said, "How can one support the impeachment of President Trump when the impeachment trial itself was voted as unconstitutional? Through this procedural vote, the impeachment trial is over."
The impeachment trial of President Trump is scheduled to begin on the 8th of next month.
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