Senators in Donald Trump’s second historic removal process have agreed to continue the process, rejecting an attempt by the former president’s defense team and some Republican allies to avoid the trial because it is no longer in office. .
The result of Tuesday’s vote on whether the Senate has jurisdiction and could proceed was 56 for and 44 against. The vote ended after hours of arguments from Trump’s lawyers and Democratic prosecutors, who accuse the former president of inciting riots on Capitol Hill on January 6.
Dismissal prosecutors managed to get an additional vote from Republicans, that of Senator Bill Cassidy. Two weeks ago, Cassidy voted to dismiss the case, but on Tuesday voted to continue. Republican Senators Susan Colllins, Lisa Murkowski, Ben Sasse, Pat Toomey and Mitt Romney also voted in favor.
A few hours earlier, Cassidy told reporters that the prosecutors’ arguments were “strong” and that it was a “very good opening.”
“I always said I would approach this with an open mind,” Cassidy added.