Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell proposed that the Senate delay former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, adding there’s no rush in taking it up.
The Kentucky Republican said he felt the House moved quickly on impeachment and the Senate needs more time to prepare for a full trial. McConnell is suggesting to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer that Trump’s legal team should get more time to prepare for the trial.
“Senate Republicans are strongly united behind the principle that the institution of the Senate, the office of the presidency, and former President Trump himself all deserve a full and fair process that respects his rights and the serious factual, legal, and constitutional questions at stake,” McConnell said in a statement.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hasn’t said when she plans to transmit the article of impeachment to the Senate but told reporters on Thursday that she would “soon” take steps on the matter.
McConnell and Schumer are in the midst of negotiating trial timing as part of a larger discussion about the future of the Senate, split in a 50-50 chamber.
Some Republicans, like Sen. Lindsey Graham, have suggested to Schumer the Senate should toss out impeachment entirely. Graham wrote in a letter last week that moving forward with the impeachment of a former president would only divide the country further.
Lawyer Alan Dershowitz, who represented Trump in his first impeachment trial, has argued it would be “unconstitutional” to convict a president no longer in office. Dershowitz added he did not plan to represent Trump again.
Trump was first impeached in late 2019 by the House over two Ukraine-related charges. In early 2020, the former president was acquitted by the GOP-led Senate.
Trump was impeached by the House less than two weeks ago on a charge of “incitement of insurrection,” making him the first president to be impeached twice. The charge followed a riot led by Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, which ended in the deaths of five people.
Trump left office on Wednesday, being succeeded by President Biden.
McConnell’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
