Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell: McConnell dismisses Senate sergeant-at-arms after Capitol riots Capitol police turned down National Guard aid offer days before deadly riot: GOP Shopshocked report ponders the future with Trump (R-Ky.) On Friday, he distributed a note to his colleagues describing the procedure for holding another trial. President Trump
Donald Trump, a Capitol police officer, dies after the riots. Given that he gave millions to Hawley urges the Senate to censure him for “irresponsible” behavior Kellyanne Conway condemns violence and supports Trump in statement on Capitol riots MORE if the House accuses him for the second time in just over a year.
The document, which was first reported by The Washington Post, outlines how the Senate would proceed if the House approves dismissal items and transmits them to the upper house before or before Jan. 19, when senators plan to resume business. regularly after the January Recess.
McConnell says the most likely scenario if the House challenges Trump in his last 12 days in office is for the Senate to receive a message from the lower house notifying him of the action on Jan. 19. This would give the Senate the option of ordering House managers to present these articles on the same day.
The Senate’s indictment rules require that at 1 p.m. after managers expose the articles, the Senate “must proceed with its consideration,” the note says.
As a result, the trial in the Senate would not begin until an hour after the president-elect Joe Biden
Joe Biden: Capitol Police Officer Dies After Riots Rep. Joaquin Castro wants to prevent federal government from naming buildings owned by Trump Tucker Carlson: Trump ‘recklessly encouraged’ Capitol riot police MORE he takes the oath of office.
“Therefore, the trial in the Senate would begin after President Trump’s term has expired, either one hour after his expiration on Jan. 20 or twenty-five hours after his expiration on Jan. 21,” the note.
A source familiar with its contents confirmed the document.
McConnell’s note notes that the Senate, which is scheduled to hold pro-forma sessions until Jan. 19, the day before Biden takes the oath of office, cannot conduct any business during these pro-forma meetings without consent. unanimous.
The Republican Party leader notes that he would prevent the Senate from acting on the dismissal items received from the House until Biden becomes president, raising an implicit question about the point of this exercise.
“The consent of the 100 senators would be required to conduct any business of any kind during the pro forma sessions scheduled before January 19 and therefore the consent of the 100 senators to begin acting on any dismissal article during those sessions. “, the memo states.
The document states that the Senate “may receive a message announcing that the House has removed the president” while the Senate is in recess, but the Senate secretary would not notify the message to the House until the next regular session, which is scheduled for January 19th.
What is unclear is whether Chief Justice John Roberts would preside over the trial because Trump will step down as president of the United States at 1 p.m. on Jan. 20, the first to begin a trial without the consent of the 100 senators.
The rules for the removal of the Senate state that, unless the Senate orders otherwise, once the trial has begun, the Senate “will continue in day-to-day session (except Sundays) … until the final judgment is pronounced.” according to McConnell’s note.
Two Republican senators on Friday indicated they could support new indictments against Trump for his incitement to Wednesday’s riot at the Capitol.
His. Ben Sasse
Ben SasseGOP Senators Blame Trump After Crowd Overpasses Trump Capitol Condemned for Crowd Capitol Actions Sasse blames Trump for rioting at Capitol: “Lies have consequences” MORE (R-Neb.) He told “CBS This Morning” that he would consider what the House sends to the Senate.
“If they come together and have a process, I will definitely consider the articles they can move, because, as I told you, I think the president has ignored his swearing-in oath,” Sasse said.
“He took an oath to the American people to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. He acted against it,” he added. “What he did was bad.”
His. Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann Murkowski That’s why Manchin, Romney, and Collins are about to run for a powerful Senate. How can Biden repair the rocky road that Trump left behind Republican struggles in the election? MONTH (R-Alaska) told the Anchorage Daily News on Friday that Trump should resign.
“I want him to resign. I want him out. It has caused enough damage, ”he said.
Murkowski said Trump only wants to stay in office “for the title” and has largely resigned from governing.
“I think he should leave. He said he will not show up. It will not appear … at the inauguration. He has not focused on what is happening with COVID. Either he’s been playing golf or he’s been in the oval office smoking and throwing all the people who have been loyal and loyal under the bus, starting with the vice president, ”he said.
It would require a two-thirds vote in the Senate or 67 senators (if all are present) to remove Trump from office before Jan. 20. That means at least 17 senators would have to vote with all 50 members of the Senate’s democratic caucus for a conviction.
The Hill has contacted McConnell’s office for comment.
Jordain Carney contributed.
Update: 22:45 h