Welcome to impeachment 2.0. On Jan. 6, Trump and a gang of his Republican enablers incited a crowd, included white militia groups, to march on the U.S. Capitol. The results have been seen in videos gone viral.

Given Trump’s record in speech and behavior, the case makes itself. A president inciting a riot that sent the legislative branch scurrying for their lives should be an open and shut case.

Not so fast. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Republican Party; 45 out of 50 Republican senators just voted to try and have the impeachment trial thrown out before it’s even heard. Seventeen Republicans must join with all 50 Democrats to make a conviction stick. Good luck with that. Forty-five Republicans, who just weeks ago were hiding from a mob looking for their heads, don’t even want to hear the case.

What a colossal failure of leadership. What a disgusting abdication of their oaths to protect the Constitution and the people of America from threats both foreign and, specifically in this situation, domestic. The Republican Party is once again proving itself to be the party of Trump only — that and nothing more.

Democrats will hold a trial, as they should. The Trump lie that the election was stolen will probably come up and be exposed for the lie it is. Trump’s use of that lie to motivate his mob to march on the Capitol is proven by Trump’s own words, with the aid of his enablers.

Republicans will put up one lip-spitting defense after another. The likely result: Enough Republicans will vote to acquit and the guilty man will walk free again.

I pray I’m wrong, but that can only happen if enough Republicans each rediscover their moral compass and miraculously grow a backbone. Chances of that? Not likely.

 

Roy Estabrook
North Monmouth