With the Senate’s impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump scheduled to begin in early February, some Congressional Republicans are calling the move unconstitutional and urging leaders to drop it.
But their Democratic colleagues say they have a responsibility to hold the former president responsible for what they argue is his role in inciting a mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
“I think it’s absolutely essential that anyone responsible for the insurrection are held accountable. Whether it’s the individuals who entered the Capitol and put us in harm’s way, or whether it was those who incited the group,” Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) told CNN on Sunday.
He continued, “So whether it’s the president of the United States, or whether it was the people who planned this January 6 riot, or whether it’s the individuals who went into the Capitol, they need to be held accountable, and the president’s not above the law.”
“This is our Constitutional responsibility. We’ve heard over and over again the only way you can hold a president accountable for his actions while he is president is through the impeachment process. The House of Representatives has acted and sent to the Senate articles of impeachment. Our responsibility is to hold a fair trial and to make judgment. We have that responsibility under the Constitution, and we need to carry that out.”
Watch the video below:
“Our responsibility is to hold a fair trial and make judgement. We have that responsibility under the Constitution and we need to carry that out.” —@SenatorCardin responds to Sen. Rubio calling upcoming impeachment trial "stupid." pic.twitter.com/HQD8g9JasM
— Ana Cabrera (@AnaCabrera) January 24, 2021
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) told Fox News on Sunday that the impeachment trial is “stupid” and voiced concerns that it would further political divides in the country.
“It’s just going to continue to fuel these divisions that have paralyzed the country and have turned us into a country of people that hate each other,” he said.
The Senate is scheduled to begin its trial of Trump the week of February 8.