VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Donald J. Trump was acquitted on both charges of his impeachment on Wednesday (5 February 2020). The first article of impeachment, as annotated by CNN, alleges that “President Trump solicited the interference of a foreign government, Ukraine, in the 2020 United States Presidential election. He did so through a scheme or course of conduct that included soliciting the Government of Ukraine to publicly announce investigations that would benefit his re-election, harm the election prospects of a political opponent, and influence the 2020 United States Presidential election to his advantage”.

The second article, as annotated by CNN, alleges that in his conduct of the office of President of the United States—and in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed—Donald J. Trump has directed the unprecedented, categorical, and indiscriminate defiance of subpoenas issued by the House of Representatives pursuant to its “sole Power of Impeachment.

The results of the voting decision were read by Supreme Chief Justice John Roberts. “In this article of impeachment, 48 senators have pronounced Donald John Trump, President of the United States guilty as charged. 52 senators have pronounced him not guilty as charged. Two-thirds of the senators present not having pronounced him guilty, the Senate adjudges that the respondent, Donald John Trump, President of the United States is not guilty as charged in the first article of impeachment. The second article of impeachment. On this article of impeachment 47 senators have pronounced Donald John Trump, President of the United States guilty as charged. 53 senators have pronounced him not guilty as charged. Two-thirds of the senators present not having pronounced him guilty, the Senate adjudges that respondent Donald John Trump, President of the United States is not guilty as charged in the second article of impeachment.”

On 15 January 2020, the US House of Representatives voted 228-193 to send the two articles of impeachment to the Senate for a trial. At the Senate, a simple 2/3rd majority, that is, 67 votes were needed for the removal of Trump as President of the United States. However, both articles failed to garner the required support ensuring President Trump of an acquittal. Senator Mitt Romney, Republican of Utah, was the only Republican who voted to remove Mr. Trump from office. Trump is just the third U.S. president ever to be impeached by the House of Representatives. (VOI/SAYEE SHREE L.R/AHM)