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File image of Donald Trump earlier this year. SIPA USA/PA Images

Trump impeachment article to be sent to US Senate today

The impeachment trial is scheduled for the second week of February.

US HOUSE SPEAKER Nancy Pelosi is set to send the Senate a single article of impeachment today accusing Donald Trump of inciting the Capitol riot, formally triggering the first-ever impeachment trial of a former president.

Pelosi, the top Democrat in Congress, vowed last week that the trial – scheduled to open in the second week of February – should proceed, saying, “I don’t think it will be long, but we must do it.”

But Republican lawmakers signaled over the weekend that Democrats may struggle to secure Trump’s conviction over the storming of US legislative buildings earlier this month, which left five people dead.

Senior figures in Trump’s party have pushed back with both political and constitutional arguments, raising doubts that Democrats – who control 50 seats in the 100-seat chamber – can secure the 17 Republican votes to reach the two-thirds majority needed to convict.

“I think the trial is stupid. I think it’s counterproductive. We already have a flaming fire in this country and it’s like taking a bunch of gasoline and pouring it on top,” Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Fox News yesterday.

He acknowledged that Trump – who had urged thousands of his supporters to flock to Washington and protest the congressional certification of Joe Biden’s victory – “bears some responsibility for what happened.”

But to “stir it up again” could only hurt the country, said Rubio, a presidential candidate beaten by Trump in the 2016 primary.

u-s-washington-d-c-house-speaker-new-covid-19-relief-package House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pictured last week. Xinhua News Agency / PA Images Xinhua News Agency / PA Images / PA Images

Constitutional question

Other Republicans argued that the Senate has no authority to put a private citizen – as Trump now is – on trial.

Senator Mike Rounds told NBC that the constitution does not allow for the impeachment of a former president.

But Senator Mitt Romney, the Republicans’ 2012 presidential candidate and a frequent Trump critic, told CNN that “the preponderance of legal opinion is that an impeachment trial after a president has left office is constitutional. I believe that’s the case.”

The Utah Republican – the only member of his party to vote to convict Trump in his first impeachment trial – hinted that he may be leaning the same way now.

He said he believed “that what is being alleged and what we saw, which is incitement to insurrection, is an impeachable offense. If not, what is?”

The Capitol riots were documented on videos seen around the world – as were Trump’s earlier exhortations to the crowd to “fight” for his presidency – complicating his defense.

His case may have suffered further after the New York Times reported last week that Trump had considered ousting the US acting attorney general in favor of a low-ranking official receptive to his efforts to overturn the election result.

Hands-off approach

Biden has publicly taken a hands-off approach to the impeachment, eager to put Trump in the rear-view mirror and seek progress on fighting the coronavirus pandemic and reviving a devastated economy.

Biden spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that the president “believes that it’s up to the Senate and Congress to determine how they will hold the former president accountable”.

The House of Representatives impeached Trump for a historic second time on January 13, just one week before he left office.

The article of impeachment will be delivered and read out to the Senate today at 7pm (midnight in Irish time). The chamber’s 100 members will be sworn in as trial jurors the next day.

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    Mute Rob Gale
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    Apr 17th 2022, 3:21 PM

    The ironic thing is, had Michàel Martin being around in 1916 he’d condemn the rising and all who took part.

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    Mute Mark Harrison
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    Apr 17th 2022, 3:43 PM

    @Rob Gale: yes..agree..he would have labelled them as terrorists ..

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    Mute Eire
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    Apr 17th 2022, 4:34 PM

    @Rob Gale: mehole is a Langer & that’s putting mildly

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    Mute John Byrne
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    Apr 17th 2022, 6:00 PM

    @Rob Gale: and if my aunty had liathróidí she’d be my uncle. Most of the blood sacrifice was done by ordinary citizens

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    Mute Rory
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    Apr 17th 2022, 6:27 PM

    @Mark Harrison: why would you say that.

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    Mute Richard Ahern
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    Apr 17th 2022, 6:55 PM

    @Rob Gale: Having studied that period of time, some years ago, that was the feeling of the majority of Irish people at the time; terrorists in action. I can understand that fully. Move forward to more recent years and consider the regular comments regarding how we (ROI) should have this, that or the other (health service and so on) because they have it in the UK. The reality is we can’t have what UK citizens have because of economies of scale. Should we consider becoming part of a greater whole again? Maybe we should look at it. We ain’t doing too well on our own, what with huge financial debt and no need to mention that hospital situation.

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    Mute Fergus Quinlan
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    Apr 17th 2022, 11:03 PM

    @Rob Gale: they would have been regarded as terrorists and the UK would call in the US to but Down the notion of a self declared Republic….!!

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    Mute Mick
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    Apr 18th 2022, 9:25 AM

    @Rob Gale: Lessons have to be learned!!!

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    Mute Rob Gale
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    Apr 18th 2022, 11:05 AM

    @Richard Ahern: I have a theory on that. I don’t think it’s to do with economies of scale. Look at Denmark with the same population and how they’re performing. One of many examples. Ok so, agreed, we have not done well running our own shop. And seem to still look to pass it off to others (first the church, then Europe more recently). But I think it’s because we have never had money as a people. For centuries. So once there’s money in the mix, like public finances, we don’t know how to responsibly manage it or deal with it. So there’s an instinct to feather you’re own nest and the people close to you. So then we’re left with deep corruption in every institution. If you look at any body in ireland it’ll be corrupt to the core. And that’s how ya end up with the wrong people in charge.

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    Mute Madra
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    Apr 17th 2022, 7:30 AM

    Have a wonderful Easter one and all.

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    Mute The Ghost of Micheal Collins
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    Apr 17th 2022, 10:54 AM

    What they undertook to do
    They brought to pass;
    All things hang like a drop of dew
    Upon a blade of grass.

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    Mute Gary ODonnell
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    Apr 17th 2022, 11:32 AM

    Why do they have the reading of the proclamation on Easter Sunday when the rising didn’t take place until Easter Monday?

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    Mute Mickey Finn
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    Apr 17th 2022, 12:22 PM

    @Gary ODonnell: Maybe it’s handy. I suppose the inportant thing is that the event is commemorated annually and the Easter date moves around anyway.

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    Mute Paul Shepherd
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    Apr 17th 2022, 3:37 PM

    @Gary ODonnell: why is Patricks Day celebrated on March 17th for a person who never existed?

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    Mute Garbhán Ó Ruis
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    Apr 17th 2022, 6:54 PM

    @Paul Shepherd: We have St. Patrick’s writings. Many things about what he did may be debated, but the evidence for his existence is not in doubt.

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    Mute Sequoia
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    Apr 17th 2022, 9:05 PM

    @Gary ODonnell:

    It also didn’t occur until April 24th which is when it should be marked.

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    Mute Paul Dunne
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    Apr 17th 2022, 10:11 PM

    @Paul Shepherd: Thats what sets the irish apart.

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    Mute Gavin Tobin
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    Apr 17th 2022, 1:33 PM

    Will the #IrishAirCorps be using Green & Orange dye or has that been banned.

    https://www.accas.info/?p=2820

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    Mute v39e84kK
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    Apr 17th 2022, 6:50 PM

    Attending events is the pinnacle of their skillset.

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    Mute Colm O'Leary
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    Apr 17th 2022, 1:02 PM

    The elastic band will be out in force today!!!

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    Mute Paul Byrne
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    Apr 17th 2022, 5:29 PM

    Was it poppy day

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    Mute The only INFP in Ireland
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    Apr 17th 2022, 8:06 PM
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    Mute Rory
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    Apr 18th 2022, 12:03 AM
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