What’s next?
The US House of Representatives impeached President Donald Trump on Wednesday for a second time -- just days before he is scheduled to leave office -- raising questions about what happens next. Here are some of the possible scenarios:
SENATE TRIAL
Now that Trump has been impeached, it is up to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to submit the article of impeachment to the Senate at a time of her choosing. The Senate would then hold a trial. Trump has only a week left in the White House and Biden is to be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on January 20. The Senate is currently in recess and is not scheduled to return until January 19. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has ruled out any prior sessions. Even if the Senate did move "promptly," there is no way it could conduct a trial before Biden is inaugurated and Trump leaves office, McConnell said in a statement. McConnell noted that the three previous presidential impeachment trials had lasted 83 days, 37 days, and 21 days. A two-thirds majority of the senators present is needed to convict the president, meaning that if all of them are in the chamber at least 17 Republicans would have to join Democrats in voting for conviction, which is highly unlikely.
Post-presidency trial?
While three US presidents have been impeached, none has ever been tried by the Senate after leaving office. All three previous presidential impeachments -- those of Trump and presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton -- occurred while the leaders were still in the White House. Like Trump, both Johnson -- in 1868 -- and Clinton -- in 1998-99 -- were impeached by the House but acquitted by the Senate. Some constitutional scholars argue that an ex-president cannot be tried by the Senate. But the House has impeached and the Senate has tried former senators and judges after they were no longer in office or on the bench.
Can Senate bar him from re-run?
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Senate will not only vote on convicting Trump for "high crimes and misdemeanors" but will also hold a vote that could bar him from running again for federal office. Trump has expressed interest in potentially running for president again in 2024 and some legal experts say a simple majority vote of the Senate could bar him from another White House run. Others don't. That may trigger a high-stake legal battle that will end up in Supreme Court where Trump's nominated judges can play a major role.
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