Whether the outgoing president will be convicted for « incitement of insurrection » is truly an unknown, as Trump’s former firewall of GOP support on Capitol Hill has diminished significantly since the
Ten House Republicans crossed the aisle to vote for the second impeachment of President Donald Trump. But nearly twice as many GOP Republicans will be needed in order to convict the commander-in-chief over in the Senate. Should all 50 members of the Democratic Caucus vote to convict, and all senators be present and voting,17 Republicans would need to agree that Trump committed « incitement of insurrection » when a violent mob of his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6 to reach the upper chamber’s required two-third threshold to convict. It’s a difficult feat that has never been accomplished in American history. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) has cast doubts on conviction and said another impeachment is « ill-advised » because it would further divide the country, making it plausible that Democrats will need more than 17 Republicans to jump on board. But Trump’s former firewall of GOP support on Capitol Hill has diminished significantly, as some Republicans are anxious to rid the T.V.-reality-star-turned-president from the party. The trial is not expected to commence until after President-elect Joe Biden is sworn into office and Trump has vacated the White House. Here is where Republican senators stand so far on convicting Trump of incitement of insurrection. At least five GOP senators have indicated they’re open to conviction, but none have yet committed to voting one way or the other. The notion that so many are open to the idea is a strong indication of the intraparty divide and is a departure from the stance nearly all Republicans had during the first impeachment: it’s not going to happen. Whether Trump will be convicted is unknown. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska): Undecided but says House’s swift impeachment was « appropriate.
