Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio told CNBC why he joined 44 other Republicans in rejecting the constitutionality of the accusation of former President Donald Trump.
‘I think the constitutional issue should be addressed and not put on the table and not set aside. That’s why I, as a member of the jury, will listen to both sides, but we need to address the constitutional issue and the precedent that it would create, so if you look at the Constitution … it’s about removal, and it’s a private citizen now, Donald Trump, not president, “Portman said in a pre-recorded interview Thursday night on ‘The News with Shepard Smith.’
Sen Paul, Rand Paul, led the charge to refute the constitutionality of the proceeding. Firstly on the grounds that Trump is no longer in office and secondly, given the fact that Senate President Patrick Leahy (D-VT) will preside over the trial instead of Chief Justice John Roberts, Supreme Court.
Roberts chaired Trump’s first indictment, but he will not repeat the role a second time. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York told MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show on Monday that the decision to chair belongs to Roberts.
“According to the Constitution, the chief justice is sitting for a sitting president,” Schumer said. “So it’s not going to be. So it was up to John Roberts whether he wanted to preside over a president who is no longer sitting, Trump. And he does not want to do that.”
Portman told host Shepard Smith he was concerned about the precedent that this indictment could create.
“Think of the precedent of saying that Republicans can oversee President Obama or President Clinton or Democrats as a private citizen to George W. Bush,” Portman said.
Portman had earlier said that Trump bears some responsibility for the January 6 Capitol uprising. He does not support Trump’s efforts to reverse the 2020 election results, and he agrees to uphold the certified election results on January 6 and delays the count.
Smith insisted Portman on what he thought would be an appropriate punishment for Trump.
“One appropriate consequence is that people have to express themselves, as I have said very clearly before, honestly, during and after, and I think it is also important that the House acted, so there was consequence in that way,” Portman said. said.
Portman has announced that he will not be eligible for re-election next year, but that he will serve his term of office ending January 3, 2023. He said he would not miss politics and bias, and it became more difficult over time. “