A growing number of Republican senators say they oppose holding an impeachment trial, a sign of the dimming chances that former U.S. president Donald Trump will be convicted on the charge that he incited a siege of the U.S. Capitol. And now that Trump's presidency is over, Republican senators who will serve as jurors in the trial are rallying to his legal defence, as they did during his first impeachment trial last year. 17 Republican senators needed to convictAn early vote to dismiss the trial probably would not succeed, given that Democrats now control the Senate. On Sunday, Cotton said that "the more I talk to other Republican senators, the more they're beginning to line up" behind that argument. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney said he believes there is a "preponderance of opinion" that an impeachment trial is appropriate after someone leaves office.

Source: CBC News January 24, 2021 21:11 UTC