Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has revealed that he will be voting to acquit Donald Trump in the second impeachment of the former president. Trump has been on trial for allegedly inciting the Jan. 6 violence that overtook the US Capitol.
McConnell told his Republican colleagues via email a day ahead of the final day of the impeachment trial that he will vote to acquit the former president on the grounds that the impeachment is “primarily a tool of removal.” He stated that the Senate simply lacks the jurisdiction to use the process against Trump, who is now a civilian.
“While a close call, I am persuaded that impeachments are a tool primarily of removal and we therefore lack jurisdiction,” McConnell wrote, adding that criminal prosecution against the former president could be appropriate—but not impeachment, Politico reportedon Saturday.
McConnell’s stated position puts his vote in line with 43 other Republican senators who already cast their votes to declare Trump’s second impeachment trial unconstitutional.
“The Constitution makes it perfectly clear that Presidential criminal misconduct while in office can be prosecuted after the President has left office, which in my view alleviates the otherwise troubling ‘January exception’ argument raised by the House,” McConnell wrote.
Of the Republicans, only Sens. Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Pat Toomey, Ben Sasse, and Mitt Romney have voted that the trial is constitutional.
Until now, McConnell did not disclose how he would vote in the impeachment trial, and has not lobbied for his colleagues to vote either way, simply telling them that the vote was to be a “vote of conscience.”
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