Published 11:38 IST, December 19th 2019
Republican lawmaker says, 'Trump treated worse than Jesus before crucifixion'
Republican lawmaker Barry Loudermilk during impeachment proceedings against Trump said that the President had received worse treatment than Jesus' crucifixion.
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US Republican lawmaker Barry Loudermilk during the impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump said that the President had received worse treatment than Jesus before he was crucified. According to reports, Loudermilk took the example of the crucifixion and said that Jesus was also given the opportunity to face the people who had accused him of a serious crime such as treason. The lawmaker comes from a conservative bible belt state of Georgia.
“...When Jesus was falsely accused of Treason, Pontius Pilate gave Jesus the opportunity to face his accusers. During that sham trial, Pontius Pilate afforded more rights to Jesus, than Democrats have afforded this president in this process.” #ShamImpeachment pic.twitter.com/n8FZRe64eo
— Barry Loudermilk (@RepLoudermilk) December 18, 2019
'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do'
Loudermilk went on to say that Jesus was offered more rights by Pontius Pilate than the rights given by the Democrats to Trump and this impeachment process. However, head of the judiciary committee, Jerry Nadler, responded by stating that Trump had been given ample opportunity to come before the committee and testify but he refused to do so. In an indirect reference to the Democrats voting against the American President, Republican lawmaker Fred Keller quoted words from Jesus' cross "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do".
A Jesuit priest, James Martin, posted a tweet in which he highlighted differences in the way Jesus and Trump were treated by people against them.
Pilate had Jesus beaten and whipped, thrown into jail overnight, marched through the streets carrying his cross, and then nailed to that cross until he died. Comparing the treatment received by the President to what Jesus suffered is absurd. Also, only one of them is sinless. https://t.co/LehugUU7je
— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) December 18, 2019
Trump third President to be impeached
President Donald Trump was impeached by the US House of Representatives on the night of December 17 in a massive development that comes close to the 2020 US Presidential elections. The US House voted 230 to 197 to impeach Trump for criminal abuse of power. His impeachment made him the third US President to be removed through the highest constitutional remedy after Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. Trump faced impeachment charges after it was alleged that he had misused his power as President to pressurize Ukraine to investigate Democrat political rival Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 election.
The tussle to charge Trump with impeachment had been going on between the Democrats and the Republicans for long with both sides trading barbs but the Democrats managed to move one step closer to removing Trump from office. However, all hope is not lost for the Republicans, since the trial will now move from the House of Representatives to the Senate which has a more favourable number for the Republicans. The Republicans were quite confident of defending their President. The trial in the Senate will begin next year in January and Trump would require a two-thirds majority to save himself from impeachment.
(With inputs from agencies)
10:44 IST, December 19th 2019