After 45 Republicans supported a motion declaring a Senate trial for Donald Trump is unconstitutional because the objective of impeachment is to remove a president, Democrats realized they don’t have the 67 votes needed to convict.
Already, they appear to be exploring alternatives.
Axios reported Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Republican Susan Collins of Maine are discussing a censure resolution along with other colleagues.
Collins was one of five Republicans senators who voted Tuesday against the resolution of Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to declare the trial unconstitutional.
“I think it’s pretty obvious from the vote today, that it is extraordinarily unlikely that the president will be convicted. Just do the math,” Collins told reporters.
“I can’t see how you get 17. I think that that was a test vote,” Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., told the Hill.
Meanwhile, Kaine is among a group of Democrats considering an effort to ban Trump from future office through the 14th Amendment, the Hill reported.
The move, as well as the censure resolution, would require only 60 votes rather than the two-thirds required by impeachment.
With a 50-50 split in the Senate, Democrats would need the votes of at least 10 Republicans.
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