President Trump’s chances of acquittal in his forthcoming Senate prosecution hearing are unclear, as most Republicans refuse to comment on how they will vote or say they are undecided.
Fox News has made contact with every Republican who will serve as senator after the inauguration of President Joe Biden on January 20, when the trial is likely to begin.
Since a two-thirds majority is needed to convict, seventeen Republicans will have to vote in favor of the indictment, assuming all 50 Democrats do.
But only 13 GOP senators were willing to vote to acquit Trump over the House-adopted accusation, which accused the president of ‘inciting insurgency’.
Based on answers to Fox News and publicly available statements, ten Republicans are undecided. Three declined to comment, and another 24 did not respond, despite repeated requests for comment over two days of inquiries.
Only ten Republicans in the House crossed the aisle to support the indictment, which was adopted Wednesday.
Senate leader Mitch McConnell is among those who say they want to listen to the arguments before voting.
“While the press was full of speculation, I have not made a final decision on how I am going to vote, and I intend to listen to the legal arguments when they are submitted to the Senate,” the majority leader said in a memorandum. told the IDP senators. On Wednesday, it was acquired by Fox News.
Sen. Richard Shelby, of Alabama, is among those who agree.
“I believe we should wait and hear the evidence,” Shelby told Fox News on Thursday. “If there is a trial, which would be my third as a sitting senator, I would sit as a jury member. And as a jury member, I would carefully consider the evidence presented.”
“The charges against President Trump are serious and will be seriously considered, including the investigation into the historical and legal precedents and the long-term consequences that a conviction may have on our Republic under these circumstances,” said Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. . told Fox News. ‘When a trial takes place, I will be a jury member and thoroughly examine the arguments and evidence presented, including any defense added by the president’s legal team.
Alaska senior senator Lisa Murkowski was the first Republican in the upper house to demand that Trump be removed from office. She told a local news agency last week, “I want him out.”
Murkowski said Trump’s incitement to violence was ‘illegal’ and could not ‘go without consequences’, and she applauded the accusation.
But she said she would wait for the trial before deciding whether or not to convict Trump.
“When the article of accusation comes to the Senate, I will follow the oath I took when I was sworn in as a U.S. senator,” Murkowski said in a statement. “I will listen carefully and consider the arguments from both sides, and then I will announce how I will vote.”
Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey was the only Republican other than Murkowski to say publicly last week that Trump had committed “impeccable transgressions,” and he stuck to his judgment of the president and the role he played in the deadly riot at the Capitol ‘.
But even he is not yet ready to be convicted.
“President Trump will be out of office before a Senate prosecution hearing can begin. It is doubtful whether the Senate has the constitutional authority to hold a prosecution hearing for a president who is no longer in office,” he said. Toomey told Fox News. “If the Senate were to hold a hearing, I would again fulfill my responsibility to consider arguments from the House of Representatives and President Trump’s advocates.”
Republican Sens Susan Collins, of Maine; Mike Crapo, Indiana; Chuck Grassley, Iowa; James Lankford, Oklahoma; and Rob Portman, of Ohio, also told Fox News they will wait for the trial before ruling on Trump’s conviction in the Senate.
The senators who will vote for acquittal have largely cited concerns over the further division of the country.
“At a time when the United States needs national healing and a real commitment to the rule of law, the American people need to look to their legislators not to deepen divisions, but to bring us together,” Sen. . Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn. ., told Fox News. “There are seven days left in the presidential term, and he has fully committed himself to a peaceful transfer of power.”
DEMOCRATS ACCUSE THE TRUMP OF ‘INSURRICATION INSURANCE’
A spokesman for Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., Claims the trial is nothing more than a ‘biased exercise that will further embitter and divide the country. ‘
Paul did not work with fellow GOP members, led by Sens. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., And Ted Cruz, R-Texas, did not object to the election college result last week, and his spokesman told Fox News he condemned the violence against the Capitol.
But the spokesman added: “If the Democrats want to reduce tensions and divisions, accusation is the wrong idea.”
Hagerty and Paul were opposed to the conviction by two GOP senators, including Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina; Rick Scott, of Florida; and Marsha Blackburn.
“Moving forward with accusations at this time will further divide our already hurting nation,” Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., Told Fox News. “I respect the right of all my colleagues to vote their conscience, but we need to calm the rhetoric and start finding ways to work together as Americans.”
Mitt Mitt Romney, R-Utah, the only GOP senator who crossed party lines with the Democrats in February 2020, did not respond to Fox News’ query about how he feels about the upcoming indictment.
Another 26 Republican senators did not respond to Fox News inquiries about the upcoming indictment: John Barrasso, of Wyoming; Roy Blunt, of Missouri; John Boozman, of Arkansas; Mike Braun, of Indiana; Richard Burr, North Carolina; Shelley Moore Capito, of West Virginia; Bill Cassidy, of Louisiana; John Cornyn, of Texas; Kevin Cramer, of North Dakota; Joni Ernst, of Iowa; Deb Fischer, of Nebraska; Josh Hawley, of Missouri; John Hoeven, of North Dakota; Jim Inhofe, of Oklahoma; Ron Johnson, of Wisconsin; John Kennedy, Louisiana; Mike Lee, of Utah; Roger Marshall, of Kanasas; Jerry Moran, of Kansas; James Risch, of Idaho; Mike Rounds, South Dakota; Ben Sasse, of Nebraska; John Thune of South Dakota, Thom Tillis, North Carolina; Tommy Tuberville, Alabama; and Todd Young, of Indiana.
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The sentence of conviction is intended as the removal of his office, but since Trump is already going to be out of the White House, it is unclear what Congress could have done if he was found guilty, except that he should vote again to re-elect him. .
The Senate begins Trump’s trial on Jan. 20 at 1 p.m., Politico only reported Thursday.
Mike Emanuel contributed to this report.