Daily US Times: John Cornyn, a Republican Senator from Texas, warned that former president Donald Trump’s second impeachment could lead to the prosecution of former Democratic presidents if Republicans retake Congress in two years’ time.
This month, Donald Trump became the first president of the United States to be impeached twice, after the Democratic-controlled House voted to charge him with incitement of insurrection over the assault on the Capitol by his supporters on 6 January, which left five people dead, including a police officer.
The now-former president failed to overturn his election defeat and Joe Biden was sworn in as president this week.
After a brief moment of bipartisan sentiment in which members from both Republican and Democratic party condemned the unprecedented attack on the US Capitol as it met to formalize Biden’s victory, a number of Senate Republicans are opposing the trial of Donald Trump, which could lead to a vote blocking him from future office. The threat of impeaching past Democratic presidents is relatively new.
“If it is a good idea to impeach and try former presidents, what about former Democratic presidents when Republicans get the majority in 2022?” Cornyn, tweeted on Saturday at Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer.
“Think about it and let’s do what is best for the country,” said Cornyn, a 19-year veteran of the Senate who last year tried to distance himself from President Trump when it seemed his seat was at risk.
Democrats hold narrow majorities in the House and Senate but it is common for a president’s party to lose seats in mid-term elections two years after a presidential contest.
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