Senate Votes That Trump Trial Is Constitutional

6 Republicans sided with Democrats in 56-44 vote
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 9, 2021 5:22 PM CST
Senate Votes 56-44 to Proceed With Trump Trial
Acting Sergeant at Arms Timothy Blodgett leads impeachment managers through Statuary Hall to the Senate for the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021, in Washington.   (Win McNamee/Pool via AP)

A day of debate on whether it is constitutional to put a former president on trial in the Senate succeeded in changing the mind of one senator. Donald Trump's second impeachment trial was declared constitutional in a 56-44 vote, with six Republican senators voting with the chamber's 50 Democrats. Last month, five Republicans voted against dismissing the trial. On Tuesday, GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana flipped and said he believes the trial is constitutional, the Hill reports. He was joined by Republican Sens. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, and Pat Toomey, who voted the same way last month. "I have always said I was approaching this with an open mind," Cassidy said, per the AP. He said the House impeachment managers delivered "strong arguments." (More Trump impeachment stories.)

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