Uncertainty surrounds upcoming Senate impeachment trial

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate impeachment trial of President Trump won’t start until after Wednesday’s inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.

The Senate returns to session on Tuesday with new leadership and questions are swirling about pursuing an impeachment trial after President Trump has left office.

The Senate would need two-thirds approval to convict the President.

If that goes through, another vote would be needed for lawmakers to bar the President from being able to run for office again.

Professor Stewart Harris teaches constitutional law at Lincoln Memorial Law School in Tennessee.

“The Senate can then vote by a simple majority to disqualify Donald Trump from holding public office for the rest of his life.

And that is a very significant development,” said Harris.

In a statement Wednesday night, Senator Pat Toomey from Pennsylvania said,

“Whether or not the Senate has the constitutional authority to hold an impeachment trial for a president that is no longer in office is debatable.”

Professor Harris expects that topic to be one of the central points in any Senate debate.

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