The Pusillanimous Prevail in Trump’s 2nd Impeachment Trial

43 Senate Republicans picked up the excrement that desecrated the U.S. Capitol on January 6th and smeared it all over the memory of Abraham Lincoln

Melissa Janda
Politically Speaking
8 min readFeb 15, 2021

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Photo by Harold Mendoza on Unsplash

It looks like I’m going to have to burn my glass-half-full t-shirt. The optimism that enough Senate Republicans might vote to convict Trump, or allow a conviction by their absence, dissolved into my drink like an antacid tablet. After hearing the verdict, I tossed it back with a shot of tequila to maintain my equanimity.

What the hell just happened?

How can anyone vote not guilty after hearing the arguments presented by the impeachment managers? It seems they turned a blind eye and did exactly that. Not even a threat to our democracy or their very lives during the January 6th riot would cause these Republicans to put country over party and convict a wannabe authoritarian for insurrection.

Forty-three Senate Republicans voted to acquit Trump on a technicality — the “January Exception” — by holding fast to the claim that the trial was unconstitutional, that Congress couldn’t impeach a former president.

What a load of crap.

Republicans have just picked up the excrement that desecrated the U.S. Capitol on January 6th and smeared it all over the Senate chambers and the memory of their most revered member, Abraham Lincoln. They sided with lies and corruption on the day after Lincoln’s birthday.

Cheers to you, Honest Abe! Oh, wait, my glass is empty.

Trump avoided conviction on a misapplied technicality. Some Republicans take offense at this characterization of the “January Exception.” They claim that it’s the correct interpretation of the Constitution. Whatever you call it, this interpretation reeks of cowardice, especially since that same Senate ruled the impeachment trial constitutional, that you can indeed convict a former president. In short, the “January Exception” is an out for those who don’t want to upset Trump’s base and risk their political careers.

I’m no constitutional scholar, but many of them agree that Congress can convict a former president. Other scholars say, “the text…

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