Impeachment Trial Rocked by News of Possible Democratic Defectors

Given the current makeup of the Senate, there was never really any doubt that Donald Trump would be eventually acquitted by this higher chamber of Congress.

Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, has all but guaranteed this result from the start, stating matter-of-factly that the President would remain in office after the affair was through.  This is thanks to the Republican majority that currently exists in the Senate, and the the loyalty that the GOP has thus far shown to the Commander in Chief.

But, in a surprising bit of news, it appears as though there are at least three Democrats who could defect from their party’s position and vote to acquit the President.

Three moderate Democrat senators — Joe Manchin (WV), Doug Jones (AL), and Kyrsten Sinema (AZ) —may ultimately vote to acquit President Donald Trump in the upper chamber’s impeachment trial, according to a new report.

At least one of the senators have signaled that they could vote in favor of only one impeachment article — the abuse of power — but oppose obstruction of Congress.

In an interview with Politico this week, Manchin said he will only support one of the articles if he “can explain one and not the other.” The West Virginia Democrat, who has yet to decide on whether he will run for re-election in 2024, said he will only make a final decision on how he will vote only after the trial concludes.

“I know it’s hard to believe that. But I really am [undecided]. But I have not made a final decision. Every day, I hear something, I think ‘this is compelling, that’s compelling,’” he said. “Everyone’s struggling a little bit.”

Jones, the most vulnerable Senate incumbent on the Democrat side, has previously taken aim at the “obstruction of Congress” article and has said he is “troubled” that House Democrats failed to call White House officials as witnesses during their own proceedings.

“I don’t think I’ve totally decided. I certainly have [been] leaning one way or the other. That needle moves” Jones told Politico. “I am leaning in certain ways but I want to hear, I truly, honestly, want to hear the entire trial.”

Should Trump be acquitted within the next 8 months, there is little doubt that this victory will propel him to a victory in 2020.