NewsNational Politics

Actions

Former President Trump acquitted in his second impeachment trial

Trump Impeachment
Posted at 6:51 PM, Feb 12, 2021
and last updated 2021-02-13 16:09:00-05

UPDATE 3: p.m. CT - Former President Donald Trump was acquitted in his second impeachment trial. The Senate voted Trump "not quilty" in a 57-43 vote.

67 votes were needed to convict.

Seven Republicans voted to convict Trump: Burr, Collins, Cassidy, Murkowski, Romney, Sasse, and Toomey.

UPDATE 2 p.m. CT - With the final vote close, lead Democratic impeachment manager Jamie Raskin told the Senate on Saturday that “this is almost certainly how you will be remembered by history.”

“None of us can escape the demands of history and destiny right now,” Raskin said in his final argument on the Senate floor.

Trump's lawyer Michael van der Veen stated in his closing arguments that there is no evidence that Trump incited an “armed insurrection” to “overthrow the U.S. government” on Jan. 6.

UPDATE 11:45 a.m. CT - Closing arguments are occurring after the Democrats agreed to skip witness testimony in the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.

The closing arguments could last up to four hours, with each side getting two hours each. An acquittal vote would occur afterward.

The agreement allows Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler not to be deposition in exchange they do not call witnesses and speed to closing arguments, the New York Times reported.

UPDATE 11:30 a.m. CT - The trial resumed after a brief recess on the fifth day of the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.

WATCH LIVE:

UPDATE 10:49 a.m. CT - The trial has been recessed until 12:30 p.m. ET as leaders discuss what to do next.

The trial came to an abrupt halt after the Senate voted 55-45 to consider calling witnesses.

The trial had been looking to conduct closing arguments and a final vote on whether to acquit or convict Trump sometime Saturday night could be delayed.

UPDATE 9:37 a.m. CT - The Senate has voted 55-45 that it may consider motions to subpoena witnesses and documents in the Trump impeachment trial.

GOP's who voted YES: Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham (who changed his vote from No to Yes), Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney, and Ben Sasse.

No witnesses were expected to be called Saturday, but lead Democratic prosecutor Jamie Raskin of Maryland asked that Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler give a deposition about the conversation she had with House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy over Trump’s actions on Jan. 6.

Trump’s attorney Michael van der Veen said the deposition of Rep. Beutler was unnecessary and he would call on 100 witnesses in rebuttal, NBC News reported.

UPDATE 9:25 a.m. CT - Laughter broke out in the Senate Chamber after Trump attorney Michael van der Veen insisted that any impeachment trial depositions should be done in person in his office in Philadelphia.

UPDATE 9:12 a.m. CT - First up will be to vote on whether or not to call witnesses. According to The New York Times, if the Democrats seek witnesses, Trump’s legal team will try to call Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser.

They would need 51 votes to subpoena the witnesses, The Times reported.

Before Day 5 of the impeachment trial was underway, The Associated Press reported that Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell will vote to acquit Donald Trump in the former president's impeachment trial.

As Day 5 of the impeachment trial began, Jamie Raskin said on the Senate floor the impeachment managers want to subpoena Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler for her knowledge and notes on the Trump-McCarthy call, calling it a "critical piece of corroborating evidence" for their case.

ORIGINAL STORY - The impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump will resume at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday. According to CNN, the Senate will vote on the impeachment Saturday evening.

WATCH RECAP:

The Senate is expected to consider motions on witnesses and documents on Saturday. The Senate will then hear closing arguments from the two respective legal teams before taking the vote.

Lawyers for former President Donald Trump opened arguments up Friday.

Still, they were brief, using only about three of their 16 allotted hours, stating that he could not have incited the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 because he is entitled to protected political speech since he was an elected official.

Senators proceeded in the afternoon by questioning the prosecution and defense.

During the questioning, critical Republican senators who could vote to find Trump guilty focused on the former President's actions as the riots unfolded, that then-Vice President Mike Pence's life was endangered, a topic that Trump's lawyers did little to address during their argument.

Trump attorney Michael van der Veen caused somewhat of an uproar with his opening statements by accusing the Democrats of advancing a “preposterous and monstrous lie” and stated that the trial was “completely divorced from the facts, the evidence and the interests of American people.”

In a presentation, Trump's lawyers channeled the former president’s combative style and embrace of falsehoods by claiming in video clips that Democrats urged their supporters to “fight.”