TLI Staff
New Delhi: Donald Trump has become the third US President to be impeached in the history of America with the House of Representatives formally charging him with the abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
He is, however, not obliged to resign from the top post given that he can be removed only after conviction by the Senate, an unlikely possibility.
There were 230 votes in favour of impeachment in the House of Representatives while 197 against on the first count and 229-198 on the second. The trial is expected to start in January in the Senate.
While Democrats had the majority in the House of Representatives to impeach Trump, Republicans control the Senate.
“The President is not going to be removed from office-period. The House’s action is nothing more than a political sham — one that the vast majority of Oklahomans and I are sick and tired of. Nothing speaks to the political motivation of this action more than Speaker Pelosi’s recent admission that she and House Democrats have been working to impeach the President for two and half years,” said James M Inhofe in a statement.
Trump has been expressing his anger and resentment over the impeachment and speaking in an evening rally in Battle Creek, Michigan said, “By the way it does not feel like I am being impeached.”
Impeachment of President Trump has been on expected lines given that Democrats-controlled House of Representatives needed only simple majority of a minimum of 216 votes while they number 233.
Even if the Senate starts trial it needs two-third majority for impeaching Trump. This is almost next to impossible given that Republicans have stayed rock solid behind the President.
In order to complete the impeachment process, at least 20 of the 53 Republicans would have to vote against Trump.
Reacting to House impeachment, Senator Rick Scott said that the House Democrats just spent a month confirming that the President did nothing wrong and that this impeachment circus is nothing but partisan politics.
“Today’s vote solidifies how little Democrats care about what’s really important to the American people. It’s clear all they care about are political games. This is sad and embarrassing, but I came to Washington to get something done for the American people. I look forward to getting back to working on all the things that aren’t getting done, like passing No Budget, No Pay, securing the border, and lowering drug prices for American families,” the Senator said.