Poll: Most Americans Feel Impeachment Trial Will Hurt Nation

Connor Grant | January 29, 2021
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With political turmoil at an all-time high in Washington, it seems some lawmakers are neglecting to acknowledge how American’s actually feel about their current actions.

A Rasmussen Poll conducted on Jan.25-26 found that nearly 57% of Americans believe that former-President Trump’s impeachment trial will further divide the nation.

The poll was conducted following the 232-197 House vote last week to impeach Trump on the charge of “inciting an insurrection” at the Capitol on Jan. 6

While Democratic lawmakers continue to attempt to show unity in preparation for the trial, it is clear a considerable amount of their party members are no longer fully on board. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) told Fox News earlier this month, 

“I think this is so ill-advised for Joe Biden to be coming in, trying to heal the country, trying to be the president of all the people when we are going to be so divided and fighting again. Let the judicial system do its job...Let that take its place. Let the investigations go on and evidence come forth and then we will go forth from there. There is no rush to do this impeachment now, we can do it later if they think it’s necessary.”

 

 

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) also shared a similar sentiment when he spoke to reporters this past Wednesday. He stated: 

“I have been talking with a number of my colleagues, a handful, for a couple of weeks about the likelihood that we would fall short on impeachment and by doing that, not only will we fall short but we would use time for something that we could be using for Covid, which I think is just so dire right now...The vote on the Paul motion yesterday was completely clarifying that we’re not going to get near 67."

Both senators attribute their hesitancy to support the trial because they don't believe they can obtain the 67 votes necessary for the Senate to convict. They also cite that lawmakers have much more important things to worry about currently.

For the impeachment effort to succeed, 17 Republicans would need to vote “Yea” in favor of Trump’s conviction. This seems highly unlikely following Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY) vote on the constitutionality of the trial in which 45 Republican Senators deemed it unconstitutional. 

Despite the desires of a majority of Americans, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said Wednesday, “We will vote, we will pass judgment,”

The Senate is expected to convene for trial on Feb. 8.

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