Five Republicans Vote to Kill Rand Paul’s Challenge to Constitutionality of Impeachment Trial – By Patrick Goodenough (CNS News) / January 27 2021
(CNSNews.com) – Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Tuesday accused “hyperpartisan Democrats” of preparing to drag the U.S. “into the gutter of rancor and vitriol” by putting former President Trump, a private citizen, on trial.
In an indication of the uphill battle Democrats face in securing a conviction, 45 Republicans voted in support of Paul’s bid to declare next month’s impeachment trial unconstitutional.
The five Republicans who joined every Democrat in rejecting Paul’s point of order motion were Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Mitt Romney (Utah), Ben Sasse (Neb.), and Pat Toomey (Pa.).
The Democrats would need 17 Republican senators’ support to reach the two-thirds majority required to secure a conviction in the trial, which is set to proceed on February 9.
