Jacob Waring – News Editor
Donald Trump will not be removed from office. He will most likely be acquitted.
I am neither joyous nor aggravated of the result because it is just a matter of fact. Fact, because anyone with any political savvy would have realized long ago that the Republicans have the numbers to acquit the president in the Senate. The same with knowing the House would have impeached President Trump.
The impending acquittal or removal of the President Trump was just a giant, elaborate backdrop for both parties trying to give each other black eyes and put a spotlight on each other’s imperfections.
The Democrats likely knew they would be unsuccessful with President Trump’s removal. They went through with the impeachment in the House as a means of appeasing their base and following through on their campaign promises, which varied based on the politician. They impeached based upon principle, aware their articles would be criticized sharply by the Grand Old Party and die a swift death.
The Republicans knew they could not prevent the articles of impeachment from arriving in the Senate, but they also knew they could metaphorically shove them down a shredder and have the numbers in preventing the president’s removal.
Both sides utilized the trial as a way of hurting or helping both the election of President Trump and the elections of senators and representatives at risk in the 2020 election cycle.
I mean, it is ingenious to showcase President Trump’s dirty Ukraine laundry out for the world to see. Paint him as a conniving, dishonest individual involved with some criminally inappropriate actions which surely will have negative repercussions for President Trump. Even better, make the congressional Republicans liable by voting on the side of a corrupt politician and make those up for reelection in 2020 sink faster than the Titanic.
Impeachment is a double–edged sword, too.
Democrats may be hoping to regain control of the Senate, but it could backfire with them losing the House and then all three branches of government would be firmly in Republican control. It is easy to paint the Democrats as wasting everyone‘s time — and taxpayer’s money — by proceeding with an impeachment saga when the outcome was already a forgone conclusion.
Plus, Senators Warren, Sanders and Klobuchar sidelined from their respective presidential campaigns which could impact their chances in the Iowa caucus or their overall momentum. I am sure if they are their party’s nominee then President Trump will bash them for their votes in favor of removing him from the Oval Office.
Former Vice President Joe Biden may not have been one of the Senate jurors but nonetheless he was distracted by the allegation of impropriety involving his son Hunter Biden in the Ukraine matter. If the Senate had called for witnesses, which failed on a vote, then the Biden’s could have been called as witnesses, thus potentially hurting Biden’s presidential campaign.
Not allowing for witnesses and rushing through the trial can appear in the eyes of some a bad look for Republicans while, in the eyes of others, they’re patriots in defense of their president.
This is a high stakes chess game for some politicians involved and especially those up for reelection.
One clear example is Maine’s Republican Senator Susan Collins who voted in favor of calling witnesses. The Democrats would take her vote, but if it hurt her chances with Maine’s republican voters in her reelection then that is just the icing on top of the cake. Maine democratic voters would not vote for her due to partisan reasons and her vote for Brett Kavanaugh.
She may have lost some voters on the Republican side due to her witness vote which means she’ll be banking her political life on independent voters.
Collins is just an example of the stakes that go beyond Trump’s impeachment. Both sides of the political aisle are hoping to gain seats from the other party to regain or maintain their majority.
November 2020 will determine what kind of impact this impeachment trial has on all the players involved and for certain has drastically impacted the fates of many politicians.
