Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) believe that their Republican colleagues won’t be on board with convicting Donald Trump as a result of the impeachment trial. According to Axios, the two senators are now looking to convince their colleagues to censure Trump.
When former President Bill Clinton was impeached for lying under oath about a sexual relationship, the Senate refused to vote for removal and instead voted for censure in 1998. Now, according to Kaine and Collins, Trump’s role in the U.S. Capitol insurrection is enough for him to get the same censure that Clinton got.
The Senate voted Tuesday whether to accept the argument that impeaching Donald Trump was unconstitutional, and 45 Republicans agreed to throw out the impeachment case. Two-thirds of the Senate is needed to convict Trump, which is 17 Republicans that would have to join with all Democrats.
“I think it’s pretty obvious from the vote today, that it is extraordinarily unlikely that the president will be convicted. Just do the math,” Collins said to reporters after the vote.
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Kaine, by contrast, said that he wants to remove the focus from Trump and instead put it on the issues of President Joe Biden’s agenda.
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