Published 16:55 IST, January 6th 2020
Republican businesswoman set to be sworn in as Georgia's next US Senator
A republican businesswoman is all set to be sworn into the US Senate representing the state of Georgia. She will be sworn in during impeachment proceedings.
A Republican businesswoman is all set to be sworn into the US Senate representing the state of Georgia. The future Republican senator will be sworn in during a very unique time as her first vote in the Senate will be on whether to impeach the United States President Donald Trump.
Unique circumstances
Kelly Loeffler will be sworn in on Monday at 5pm on the Senate floor in Washington DC. Trump was recently impeached by the House of Representatives for alleged abuse of power and obstruction of the Congress. Regarding the possible vote, Loeffler says that she has already made up her mind and will be voting against the removal of the US president.
When Loeffler's appointment was announced in December last year she was heavily criticised by fellow Republicans for being too liberals and having a somewhat soft stance on key issues but over last several weeks, she has toured Georgia and has tried to portray herself a true Republican with pro-Second Amendment, pro-Trump, pro-military and pro-wall rhetoric.
In addition to her first vote being in the impeachment trial, Loeffler will also be only the second woman in history to represent Georgia in the Senate. Loeffler will have to face an open election in November where not only will she be competing against Democrats but also against fellow Republicans. For that effort, Loeffler has pledged $20 million of her own money to the political campaign.
Loeffler was appointed after GOP Sen. Johnny Isakson had to step down due to health issues. She was appointed by Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp. Loeffler had previously worked at Intercontinental Exchange.
Earlier, Trump said that it was 'without one Republican vote' that he got impeached on December 18. The Democrat-led House of Representatives voted 230 to 197 to impeach Trump of 'abuse of power' and 229 to 198 for the second charge of 'obstruction of Congress'.
This made him only the third President to be impeached from the office after Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. Trump again called the entire impeachment against him as 'greatest Witch Hunt' in the history of America. The US President also accused Democrats that they now 'want to do nothing' with the articles of impeachment and 'not deliver' the to the Senate.
Updated 16:55 IST, January 6th 2020