The impeachment trial of former President Trump over the invasion of the U.S. Congress began around 3:00 am on the 10th of Japan time, and Mr. Trump has already retired from the Democratic Party members who are pursuing the responsibility of the former president. The impeachment trial against the former president claimed to be unconstitutional, and the two sides were in direct conflict.
Last month, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution in favor of impeaching former President Donald Trump, alleging that he had fueled the mayhem of his supporters in the invasion of Congress.
In response to this, on the afternoon of the 9th, at around 3:00 am on the 10th of Japan time, the impeachment trial to pursue the responsibility of the former president began in the Senate, and on the first day of the trial, a debate was held over the constitutionality of the impeachment trial. I did.
"If Mr. Trump's allegations pass, we will do what happened on January 6 in the future," said Democratic Representative Ruskin, who acts as a prosecutor for the impeachment trial. So, I showed a video of Mr. Trump's supporters breaking into Congress last month.
"The constitutional right to impeach the president is needed only in the final stages of the administration, where election results are the target of attacks," Trump said. I appealed that I should be called.
In response, former President Donald Trump's lawyer, Caster, argued that the US constitution did not assume impeachment of non-public officials, and that the impeachment trial was unconstitutional.
"The American people have elected a new president in the elections to prove that the democracy system is working," he said, saying that the impeachment trial is a challenge to democracy. Conflict from.
The impeachment trial will begin on the 10th with the opening statement of the Democratic Party of Representatives, who will act as prosecutors, and the defense team of former President Donald Trump.
However, it is expected that Mr. Trump will be acquitted among the Republicans because many lawmakers are cautious about Mr. Trump's impeachment.
Also, in the Senate, there are voices concerned about the impact of the prolongation of the impeachment trial on the deliberation of the economic measures bill of the new coronavirus, which the new administration emphasizes, so whether former President Trump is guilty or not guilty. There is widespread belief that the verdict will be issued within the next week.
Background of the impeachment trial
Former President Trump's second impeachment trial was triggered by Trump's supporters who oppose the results of the presidential election on the 6th of last month, when the former president's term was two weeks left. It was an incident that broke into the Capitol.
Not only the Democratic Party but also the Republican Party have called for the president's dismissal as Mr. Trump called for protests in a speech to supporters gathered in front of the White House just before the turmoil. I also got up from some members of the Diet.
In response, the Democratic Party, which leads the House of Representatives, submitted a resolution on impeachment charges on the 11th of last month, blaming Mr. Trump, who was then president, for saying that Mr. Trump's words and actions were "inciting a rebellion."
Two days later, on the 13th, Mr. Trump became the first president in the history of the United States to be impeached twice, with the majority of Democrats in the House of Representatives and 10 Republicans. ..
The impeachment resolution, which is the indictment for the criminal case, was sent to the Senate, where the impeachment trial is held, on the 25th of last month after the transition to the Biden administration.
Regarding the impeachment of former President Donald Trump, who had already retired at that time, the Democratic Party insisted that "even if it cannot be dismissed, it is necessary to clarify the responsibility for the case," while many Republican lawmakers said, " Mr. Trump's impeachment, which is not in public office, has no meaning and is only an act that promotes the division of the United States. "
Under these circumstances, Republican lawmakers submitted a motion to the Senate on the following day, saying that it was unconstitutional to pursue the responsibility of former President Donald Trump, who had already retired, in an impeachment trial.
The motion was rejected by all 50 Democrats out of 100 Senators, as well as five Republicans, but the verdict was noted as a fortune-telling of the impeachment verdict. I did.
To convict Mr. Trump in the impeachment trial requires more than two-thirds of the Senate's approval, which would require at least 17 Republican approvals in addition to Democratic members. However, a motion to suspend the impeachment trial revealed that many Republicans were cautious about impeaching Mr. Trump, so it is unlikely that Mr. Trump will be guilty at this time. I will.
Meanwhile, Democratic congressmen who act as impeachment officers in the impeachment trial have asked former president Trump to testify in the impeachment trial, but Mr. Trump's lawyers said the impeachment trial itself against the former president is unconstitutional. It has clarified the policy of not responding to the request for testimony.
Both claims
Democratic members of the House of Representatives, who act as prosecutors, and former President Donald Trump are in great conflict over the interpretation of freedom of expression and the constitutionality of the impeachment trial.
In the impeachment resolution, which is the indictment in the criminal case, just before the invasion of the federal parliament on the 6th of last month, Mr. Trump said to the supporters who gathered, "Go to the parliament" and so on. I intentionally made an impeachment statement. "
Democrats argued in a letter submitted to the Senate prior to the impeachment trial that "the right to freedom of expression does not apply to inciting or creating tort," resulting in five people. The impeachment case, which killed him, claims that former President Trump "takes outstanding responsibility."
In response, former President Donald Trump's lawyers wrote in writing that they expressed the idea that the outcome of the presidential election was suspicious and had no intention of inciting the mayhem, saying that the First Amendment of the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression. He emphasizes the position that the rights also apply to Mr. Trump.
In addition, former President Trump argues that the impeachment trial is a procedure for dismissing a person in public office, and that it is unconstitutional to hold an impeachment trial against Mr. Trump, who has already retired.
On the other hand, Democratic Party lawmakers have never been subject to impeachment trials for the retired president, but there are precedents for impeachment trials to pursue the responsibility of retired ministers. , Claims that this impeachment trial is constitutional.
Republican affair at a distance from Mr. Trump
While there are voices within the Republican Party accusing former President Trump of inciting the invasion of Congress, he is still enthusiastic about his supporters, so he is arguing about how to keep a distance from Mr. Trump. Debris is occurring.
On the 3rd of this month, the Republican Party of the House of Representatives took up the post of executive officer over Mr. Trump's criticism of Mr. Trump in favor of impeachment for Rep. I voted if I should solve it.
As a result, although the dismissal of Mr. Cheney was rejected, it became clear that about 30% of the members agreed and there are still many members who agree with Mr. Trump.
Also, on the same day, Marjorie is controversial because he called for the assassination of Democrats in the past and insisted on many conspiracy theories such as "The 2001 terrorist attacks were fake." The disposition was also discussed for Congressman Green.
Congressman Green is an ardent supporter of Trump, and his disposition as a Republican legislator has been postponed due to the support of members close to Mr. Trump.
However, after this, a resolution to remove Green from the committee to which Congressman belongs was passed in the House of Representatives, and 11 Republican members were passed in favor of it, and within the Republican Party over how to keep a distance from Mr. Trump. The affair has been highlighted again.
Expert "Former President Trump will continue to have a major impact on the Republican Party"
Todd Belt, a professor at George Washington University, who specializes in political science, told NHK that "it is difficult to call for reconciliation during an impeachment trial that symbolizes the division of the ruling and opposition parties. President Byden called the Senate. He knows that former President Trump will be sentenced to innocence. The longer the impeachment trial, the more it will affect economic measures and the appointment of high-ranking officials and judges. You want to finish it as soon as possible, "he said, pointing out that President Byden wants an early end.
Regarding the Democratic Party of Japan, who is leading the impeachment trial, he said, "For Democratic Party members of both the House and Senate who are always thinking about re-election, Mr. Trump will be held responsible for the invasion of the parliament, which also caused death. If you don't ask, you'll get a lot of backlash from your supporters. Even if you know you can't bring it guilty, you're at risk if you don't impeach. "
On the other hand, Professor Belt said about the future of the Republican Party, "We are in a state of civil war within the Republican Party, which has surfaced in the party's debate over the dismissal of Congressman Dick Cheney and being removed from the committee to which Congressman Green belongs. The future of the Republican Party depends on whether former President Trump will stay in the party. Former President Trump will be noticed, heard, and will influence the success of lawmakers. I want to continue to be, "said former President Trump, who said he would continue to have a significant impact on the Republican Party.