Washington – South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Sunday that the outcome of former President Donald Trump’s forthcoming indictment is “really not in doubt” as many Republicans believe the Senate does not have the authority to appoint a president to hear who is no longer in office and is likely to vote. to acquit him.
“It’s not a question of how the trial will end, it’s a question of when it will end,” Graham said in an interview with Face the Nation. “Republicans are going to consider it an unconstitutional exercise, and the only question is whether they will call witnesses, how long will the trial last? But the result is really not to be doubted.”
The Senate is set to convene Tuesday as a court of indictment to address the House Democrats’ case on why they believe Mr. Trump committed major crimes and offenses for his behavior in the weeks before and the morning of the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol building. The House last month approved a single indictment accusing Trump of inciting insurgency, and ten Republicans joined Democrats in the historical mood.
While the House charged the former president while he was still in office, Republican senators raised questions about the constitutionality of the upcoming indictment, as the Constitution is silent on whether a former president can be tried. Chief Justice John Roberts will do not preside about the proceedings, which Republicans say strengthen their case as to why the Senate does not have the authority to try a president who is out of office.
Forty-five Republicans voted in favor of a motion passed by GOP Senator Rand Paul last month, challenging the constitutionality of the indictment, suggesting Democrats are unlikely to garner support from the 17 Republicans which they need to convict Trump.
Graham said that while he does not believe the January 6 events were ‘OK’, he believes the indictment in the eyes of most Republicans is an ‘unconstitutional exercise’.
“The president’s behavior is not a crime in my opinion, but he can be charged with one if people think he committed it because he is now a private citizen,” he said.
The senator in South Carolina, who is one of the closest allies of Mr. Trump was in Congress, saying lawmakers have never sued a president in history.
“In my opinion, the Constitution has been violently violated because there seems to be no end to Trump,” he said. “The trial will therefore lead to acquittal.”
Graham said the longer a trial lasts, the worse it will be for the country.
“I’m ready to go on. I’m ready to end the indictment because I think it’s blatantly unconstitutional. I’m ready to continue solving the country’s problems,” Graham said. “And as for Donald Trump, he’s the most popular figure in the Republican Party, he had a consequent presidency. January 6th was a very bad day for America, and he’s going to get his share of the blame in history. “