Senators voted along party lines Wednesday to acquit President Donald Trump on two articles of impeachment, with Democrats failing to get the two-thirds majority needed under the Constitution to convict him of improper behavior and remove him from office.
The Senate voted 52-48 against convicting on one article of impeachment and 53-47 on the other. Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah was the only Republican to vote for impeachment, voting against Trump on the article that accused the president of obstruction of Congress.
Why Was Trump Facing Impeachment?
Trump had faced impeachment for his dealings with the president of Ukraine, having been accused by Democrats of demanding that Ukraine investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son and that he had held up military aide in an effort to force an investigation. The second article accused him of trying to stymie Congress' investigation into his actions.
Republicans rallied to Trump's defense, saying that voters should decide whether Trump should be president, not the Congress. Democrats hold the majority in the House, which impeached Trump, but Republicans hold a majority in the Senate.
A few Republican senators, including Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Susan Collins of Maine had said they thought Trump's behavior was wrong, but didn't merit removal and the turmoil that would create.
No president has been removed from office, though President Richard Nixon resigned before he likely would have been. Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached in the House but acquitted.
Related Links:
A Nonevent? What Trump's Impeachment Means For The Stock Market
President Trump's State Of The Union Address Ended Up Being Another Partisan Theatrical
Photo credit: Gage Skidmore
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
