A survey by The New York Times on the eve of the trial found that 27 Republican senators had expressed opposition to charging Trump or otherwise holding him accountable by impeachment. “Why are we doing this?” said Sen Ron Johnson, R-Wis. “I can’t think of something more divisive and unhealing than doing an impeachment trial when the president is already gone. Such a vote would fail, but could provide an early gauge of Republicans’ views on the trial. The Constitution states that the chief justice of the United States presides over any impeachment trial of the president or vice president. The role was largely ceremonial in the first impeachment trial of Trump a year ago.

Source: bd News24 January 26, 2021 06:00 UTC