Trump will be found ‘not guilty’

Jan 21, 2020 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

In reference to an earlier editorial and news reports on the impeachment of Donald Trump, the sitting US President will be found ‘not guilty’ by the Senate. Overall, most Guyanese are opposed to Trump because of his immigration matters. But there is support for Trump among some Guyanese, even though if the President has his way, he would return them to Guyana.
The President was impeached in December by the US House. Trial is held by the 100-member Senate. Conviction requires two-thirds majority or 67. If the President is convicted, he is removed from office and the Vice President becomes President. Will it happen? That is like asking if it will snow in Guyana.
Politics in USA over the last few decades have been very party partisan between the two major parties. The Republican lawmakers will not convict their President in much the same way that Democrats did not convict their President (Clinton some two decades earlier) although the issues are/were completely unrelated.
Partisanship has been the nature of American politics since the 1980s. It was a Republican House that impeached Clinton, and now a Democratic House has repaid the Republicans with an impeachment of Trump. That is not likely to change soon, in much the same way that partisanship won’t change in Guyana.
The procedure for the trial is the US Chief Justice presides over the proceedings but has no vote. The 100 Senators are the real judges. There are 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents who caucus with Democrats. The House of Representatives will send a team of its members as the prosecutors. The President is entitled to a legal defence. All are paid for by the state, costing several millions of dollars.
At the end of the trial, regardless of evidence presented, voting will be on party lines, barring a few members who fear the loss of their seats should they vote to convict Trump. A few Senators may abstain from voting to shield their political hide. The President remains in office and leads the Republicans into the November elections. He trails in opinion polls.
Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram

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