The Senate acquitted former President Donald Trump in a 57-43 vote on Saturday afternoon on the charge of inciting insurrection for his role in the January 6th Capitol riot.
Democrats needed 17 Republicans to join them to convict Trump. Seven Republicans voted to convict. The Republicans who joined with the Democrats were: Richard Burr of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
Trump issued a statement through his legal team.
“This has been yet another phase of the greatest witch hunt in the history of our Country,” Mr. Trump said. “No president has ever gone through anything like it, and it continues because our opponents cannot forget the almost 75 million people, the highest number ever for a sitting president, who voted for us just a few short months ago.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called the Jan. 6 Capitol attack a “disgrace” and yet still voted to acquit Trump.
“They did this because they had been fed wild falsehoods by the most powerful man on Earth. Because he was angry. He had lost an election. Former President Trump’s actions preceded the riot were a disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty,” McConnell said.
The trial was the fourth of an impeached president. Trump was impeached twice. No president has ever been convicted.
93% of the Newport Buzz audience thought Trump should have been convicted.
