Bill Cassidy joins five other Republican senators who broke ranks
The 56-44 final vote marked the closing chapter of Tuesday’s proceedings, with the Senate adjourned until noon on Wednesday. All but six Republican senators voted that the trial was unconstitutional because Trump is no longer president. It was the second time such a vote was taken after Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, forced a vote on the same question last month.
Here’s which Republican senators voted that the impeachment trial was consistent with the Constitution:
- Sen. Susan Collins of Maine
- Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
- Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
- Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah
- Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska
- Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania
Cassidy told CNN Tuesday after the House managers’ presentation that it was a “very good opening” and they made strong arguments. During their presentation, House impeachment managers showed how rioters violently breached the US Capitol and attacked police officers, invoking Trump’s name as they tried to disrupt the certification of the November election.
The Senate tabled the initial effort by Paul, a Kentucky Republican, late last month to force a vote on the constitutionality of the trial, but the vote offered an indicator for how Republican senators — who overwhelmingly voted for Paul’s measure — feel about the trial.
Paul’s motion was killed on a 55-45 vote, with five Republicans joining all Democrats, meaning 45 Republicans voted for Paul’s effort. Romney, Sasse, Collins, Murkowski and Toomey crossed party lines to join with Democrats on that vote.
