Sen. Lisa Murkowski was among six Senate Republicans who broke party ranks to vote with all 50 Democrats in affirming the legality of proceeding with an impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.
The 56-44 vote came Feb. 9, after a four-hour debate over whether it is even constitutional for Congress to impeach a president who has already left office and is living as a private citizen. Trump’s team argued that the trial creates a dangerous precedent in which anyone who has ever held civic office could be impeached by a future Congress aiming to undermine their work after they have left public life.
Murkowski attempted to frame her decision to vote with all Senate Democrats as having nothing to do with President Trump.
Murkowski, however, echoed the words of impeachment manager, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) who claimed that halting the trial simply because Trump was out of office creates a “January exception” that would allow future presidents to commit crimes in the last weeks of their term without having to worry about being barred from holding future office, which is one of the consequences of an impeachment conviction.
“If the end of a President’s term meant he or she would never be held politically liable for high crimes or misdemeanors committed while in office, the lame-duck period would pose a serious danger to the stability of the country,” Murkowski stated.
Trump’s attorneys called fears about a so-called “January exception” nonsense.
“If my colleagues on this side of the chamber actually think that President Trump committed a criminal offense … after he’s out of office, you go and arrest him,” said Bruce Castor, one of Trump’s impeachment trial attorneys. “So, there is no opportunity where the president of the United States can run rampant in January at the end of his term and just go away scot-free. The Department of Justice does know what to do with such people.”
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Murkowski statement attempted to frame her vote with Senate Democrats as having nothing to do with President Trump who is the direct subject of the impeachment trial. Murkowski framed her vote as a principled stand that was necessary to defend the Senate’s power to check former presidents, whomever they may be.
“The vote today was not about President Trump,” she asserted. “It was about the Senate retaining jurisdiction to try a former official who was impeached while in office for acts done while in office. The Senate should not be so quick to forever give away its power to take corrective actions that may, at some point, be necessary.”
The other five Republicans who broke ranks and joined Democrats on the impeachment question were Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Mitt Romney of Utah, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
The impeachment trial resumes Wednesday, Feb. 10, with each side getting 16 hours to argue whether Trump should be convicted on charges of inciting the protesters who stormed the nation’s Capitol Building on Jan. 6. The trial will be broadcast live on C-SPAN beginning at 7:55 a.m. Alaska time.
14 Comments
Recall Murky-Cow-sky ? It’s never too soon.
Lisa your paper bag holds no water! Come on Man !
She is a Benedict Arnold in sheep’s clothing! ALASKA…we need to get her out of office now!! She’s turning into a wolf right before our eyes! She cares nothing about Alaska!!
She along with the other rinos who voted to impeach President Trump need to be voted out ASAP and should have been voted out years ago.
The only reason she has that Senate seat is because of her father and she is a good lier.
Future news flash for Alaskans and the world…”Lisa Murkowski committed voter fraud over several years”. She has never supported President Trump, she, like her democrat friends are only interested in power! Lisa you are a swamp rat! Not once have you legitimately represented the views, desires or needs of your constituents, but selfishly look to your own bias! You need to resign “We the People” are tired of you and your friends living off our tax dollars and working for the corporations! You are a traitor!
Lonny is 100% correct. We need to get rid of the Murkowski name in politics. She doesn’t represent the people. She should be investigated to see what ties she has with China. She thinks she can’t be voted out of office. I’ve said this before; if Lisa wins the Republican primary, or loses and runs independent in 2022 I will vote for whom ever is on the Democrat ticket.
Only problem with 2022 midterm election is we don’t have a primary anymore. We go into this crap rank choice voting system thanks to senator Murkowski and her bands of swamp donors plus all the useful idiots who voted for it.
Let’s ask the true Christian – Mike Pence, what he thinks about this. His silence speaks louder than any words could. Unfortunately, Republicans have and will reap what they sow. I just hope that they right the ship as this could easily happen on the other side. We will have no recourse if we sell our souls to the Big Lie today.
This is absolutely correct. Far too many Republicans have sacrified their integrity worshipping their false God. Former President Trump is a coward, a traitor, a criminal, and a cheat. He is a weak man, a miserable husband and father, and a poor excuse for a President.
He committed hundreds of impeachable offenses. Offenses far worse than the current crop of RINOs used to support impeaching former President Clinton.
Yet our fellow “Christians” are eager to support him because of “the judges”. What would the bible say about this? Every true Christian knows the answer, but many choose to ignore it because they have chosen Donald Trump over God and Country.
Where is our Republican leadership on this one? Hiding under their desks? Why isn’t she disciplined and public action being taken against her. There is no Truth or conscience in her. The NEA has funded her political progress. She needs to be publicly renounced by our Republicans at every level. We want no association with her. She does not represent and never, never has. What is wrong with Alaska’s Republican Party? Does it exist? We should be offensive like the Arizona and other Republican leadership is. Offensive!
Disciplined for what, exactly? For speaking the truth? The cancel culture from RINOs is appalling. True Alaskans respect the independent streak that allows Murkowski to vote and speak her conscience, not follow the Republican sheep to the slaughter.
The Alaska GOP leadership is standing with Murkowski. Our GOP is obviously part of the west coast swamp apparatus. I emailed Ak GOP leadership inquiring when they intended to censure murkowski but no response. Our leadership needs replacement too. If I must vote for a democrat in 2022 in order to rid our state of Murkowski then so be it. She has done enough damage already……
SNAKE IN THE GRASS! Never again with she receive my vote if she decides for yet another Senate run. Has she ever made public her complaints about former President Trump? With that, would her complaints be founded upon fact or again speculative opinion as so many of our mostly Democrat politicians assert? Senator Murkowski is squandering tax payer resources for vengeful animosity upon our former commander in chief. Essentially acceptable impeachment efforts would be praised and welcome for that of, 1. Nancy Pelosi in allowing Representative Eric Swawell, to remain on the GOP Intel Committee following dalliance with a Chinese spy. In addition, Pelosi rewarded him by assigning him to Homeland Security! 2. Impeach VP Harris for bailing out BLM rioters; 3. Impeach faux President Biden for his Hunter Biden Chinese investment association and then too, his Ukraine scandal. Murkowski has unfortunately already harmed both our nation and state with her alliance with the Democrats. Resignation should be her focus.
Murkowski stands by the lies of the evil corrupted DC establishment because she has dark skeletons in her closet like the rest this is why GOD put President Trump in office was to expose the EVIL of this government !!!! That is why they are all against him.