Published 19:24 IST, December 26th 2019
Trump Senate impeachment trial different from Bill Clinton's
Donald Trump's impeachment was set in a modern template by Bill Clinton's impeachment two decades ago but the process for Trump is even more contentious.
Advertisement
The President of United States Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives last week is currently awaiting a trial in Senate. However, the current Republican leader's impeachment was set in a modern template by Bill Clinton's impeachment two decades ago. Even though Clinton faced a trial, the same process for Trump may be even more contentious with sharper divisions in Washington.
During the Clinton trial, the Senate leaders had recognised that their own interests diverged from their party members even though the Democratic leaders discredited the entire process as a partisan vendetta. This time, with Trump, the Senate Republicans are closer to the proceedings in the White House mostly because the US President holds a firmer grasp over his party than Clinton. In addendum to that, unlike to Clinton's impeachment in 1999, Trump is sure to lead the Republicans in 2020 elections which have bounded lower-level office-holders more closely to Trump's position in the government.
In 1999, 13 republican house managers reportedly marched across the Capitol to present the articles of impeachment while in the present situation, the charges against Trump of 'abuse of power' and 'obstruction to Congress' have still not been sent for trial in the Senate. While Clinton's impeachment deviated from the partisan issue, Trump's trial has become crucial for both party members. The Democrat-led Congress impeached Trump while delaying to present articles in the Republican-led Senate.
Senate will exonerate Trump
White House said after the House impeached Trump, that Senate will exonerate him and 'set things in order'. The US President accused Democrats of not giving him 'due process' in the house nor lawyers or witnesses. He even called Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff a 'corrupt politician' and said Democrats want to direct the Senate 'how to run their trial'. Trump also said that it was 'without one Republican vote' that Democrats managed to impeach him and called the process yet again '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.
19:24 IST, December 26th 2019