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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 6 February 2020

Not guilty: Senate acquits Trump of impeachment charges

By LISA MASCARO, MARY time to end what McCon-
CLARE JALONICK and ERIC nell called the "circus" and
TUCKER move on. Most Democrats,
Associated Press though, echoed the House
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- managers' warnings that
dent Donald Trump won Trump, if left unchecked,
impeachment acquittal would continue to abuse
Wednesday in the U.S. Sen- the power of his office for
ate, bringing to a close only personal political gain and
the third presidential trial in try to cheat again ahead
American history with votes of the the 2020 election.
that split the country, test- Even key Democrats from
ed civic norms and fed the states where Trump is pop-
tumultuous 2020 race for ular — Doug Jones in Ala-
the White House. bama and Joe Manchin
With Chief Justice John in West Virginia — risked
Roberts presiding, sena- backlash and voted to
tors sworn to do "impartial convict. "Senators are
justice" stood and stated elected to make tough
their votes for the roll call — In this image from video, Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts speaks before the vote in choices," Jones said.
"guilty" or "not guilty" — in a the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Wash- Several senators trying to
swift tally almost exclusively ington, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020. win the Democratic Party's
along party lines. Trump, Associated Press nomination to face Trump
the chief justice then de- — Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth
clared, shall "be, and is Robert Mueller's probe into On the first article of im- the nation, what they had Warren and Amy Klobu-
hereby, acquitted of the Russian 2016 campaign in- peachment, abuse of decided. char — dashed back from
charges." terference by those out to power, the vote was 52-48 Influential GOP Sen. La- early primary state New
The outcome followed get him from the start of his favoring acquittal. The sec- mar Alexander of Tennes- Hampshire to vote.
months of remarkable im- presidency. ond, obstruction of Con- see worried a guilty verdict During the nearly three-
peachment proceedings, Trump's political campaign gress, also produced a not would "pour gasoline on week trial, House Demo-
from Speaker Nancy Pelo- tweeted videos, statements guilty verdict, 53-47. the fire" of the nation's cul- crats prosecuting the case
si's House to Mitch McCon- and a cartoon dance cele- Only one Republican, Mitt ture wars over Trump and argued that Trump abused
nell's Senate, reflecting the bration, while the president Romney of Utah, the party's "rip the country apart.'' He power like no other presi-
nation's unrelenting parti- himself tweeted that he defeated 2012 presidential said the House proved its dent in history when he
san divide three years into would speak Thursday from nominee, broke with the case but it just didn't rise to pressured Ukraine to inves-
the Trump presidency. the White House about "our GOP. the level of impeachment. tigate Biden and his son,
What started as Trump's Country's VICTORY on the Romney choked up as he Other Republicans sid- Hunter Biden, ahead of the
request for Ukraine to "do Impeachment Hoax." said he drew on his faith ing with Trump said it was 2020 election. q
us a favor" spun into a far- However, the Senate and "oath before God"
reaching, 28,000-page re- Democratic leader Chuck to vote guilty on the first
port compiled by House Schumer said there will charge, abuse of power.
investigators accusing an always be "a giant aster- He voted to acquit on the
American president of en- isk next to the president's second.
gaging in shadow diplo- acquittal" because of the All Democrats found the
macy that threatened U.S. Senate's quick trial and Re- president guilty on the two
foreign relations for person- publicans' unprecedented charges.
al, political gain as he pres- rejection of witnesses. Both Bill Clinton in 1999 and
sured the ally to investigate A majority of senators Andrew Johnson in 1868
Democratic rival Joe Biden expressed unease with drew cross-party support
ahead of the next election. Trump's pressure campaign when they were left in of-
No president has ever been on Ukraine that resulted fice after impeachment tri-
removed by the Senate. in the two articles of im- als. Richard Nixon resigned
A politically emboldened peachment. But two-thirds rather than face sure im-
Trump had eagerly predict- of them would have had peachment, expecting
ed vindication, deploying to vote "guilty" to reach the members of his own party
the verdict as a political an- Constitution's bar of high to vote to remove him.
them in his reelection bid. crimes and misdemean- Ahead of Wednesday's
The president claims he did ors to convict and remove voting, some of the most
nothing wrong, decrying Trump from office. The final closely watched senators
the "witch hunt" as an ex- tallies in the GOP-held Sen- took to the Senate floor to
tension of special counsel ate fell far short. tell their constituents, and