Seventeen Republicans would need to join all Democrats for Trump to be convicted. The framework will spell out whether to allow for a motion to dismiss the trial at its outset - a vote that could signal the likelihood of the Senate convicting Trump. McConnell on Thursday also proposed delaying the start of the trial by two weeksto allow Trump to prepare his defense strategy, though it’s unclear if Schumer will agree. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) still need to iron out a framework, which will outline the rules and procedures of the trial. “If an official could only be disqualified while he or she still held office, then an official who betrayed the public trust and was impeached could avoid accountability simply by resigning one minute before the Senate’s final conviction vote,” a bipartisan group of legal scholars, including prominent conservatives, wrote on Thursday. Supporters of the Senate’s authority to try an ex-official have pointed to the Belknap trial to underscore that a president or any other person subject to impeachment could simply resign or otherwise leave office to evade punishment. Indeed, the Senate has never put a former president on trial on impeachment charges, though in 1876 the Senate tried former Secretary of War William Belknap after he had already resigned. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a top Trump ally who has been pushing for a vote on dismissing the trial at its outset. “I think it is one of the most potent arguments, absolutely,” added Sen. “ not to dismiss any of the enormity of the day itself.” “I think the key point is, is it constitutional to do this when somebody is out of office - and then, is it purely retribution when you try to push it forward,” Sen.
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