Trump Acquitted on Both Articles of Impeachment

President will not be removed from office
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 5, 2020 1:30 PM CST
Updated Feb 5, 2020 3:44 PM CST
Romney Will Vote to Convict
In this image from video, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, speaks on the Senate floor about the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020.   (Senate Television via AP)

President Trump has been acquitted on both articles of impeachment and will not be removed from office, USA Today reports. The vote for the first article, abuse of power, was 52-48, CNN reports. All 47 Democratic senators voted to convict, the Wall Street Journal reports. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney also voted to convict, breaking with his fellow Republicans, a decision he had announced on the Senate floor before the vote Wednesday, the AP reports. Romney said Trump's actions were "perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of oath of office that I can imagine." He's the only senator in US history who has ever voted to convict a president from his own party during an impeachment trial. Romney did not, however, vote with Democrats on the second article, obstruction of Congress; the vote on that charge was 53-47.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts declared, per the Guardian: "The Senate having tried Donald John Trump, President of the United States, upon two Articles of Impeachment exhibited against him by the House of Representatives, and two-thirds of the Senators present not having found him guilty of the charges contained therein: it is, therefore, ordered and adjudged that the said Donald John Trump be, and he is hereby, acquitted of the charges in said articles." Before the trial officially adjourned, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell presented Roberts with a golden gavel to thank him for presiding over the trial. "We typically award this to new senators after about 100 hours in the chair, but we can all believe that the chief justice has put in his due and then some," he said. The Senate is now in recess until next week. (More Trump impeachment stories.)

Get breaking news in your inbox.
What you need to know, as soon as we know it.
Sign up
Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X