Trump Acquitted In Second Impeachment Trial

The Senate voted on Saturday to acquit former President Donald Trump on an impeachment charge of inciting an insurrection in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, marking the only time a president has been impeached, and then acquitted, on two occasions.

A majority senators found Trump guilty, as evidenced by a 57-43 vote. But that number fell well short of the supermajority needed for a conviction. If Trump had been convicted, he would have been barred from ever holding federal office again.

Per Fox News: "The seven GOP senators who joined with all Democrats in finding Trump guilty were: Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania."

The acquittal means Trump, the 45th president, can make another bid for the White House in 2024. He praised the acquittal, while thanking his supporters. He also promised to soon emerge with a "vision for a bright, radiant, and limitless American future." 

He also took aim at his naysayers.

"This has been yet another phase of the greatest witch hunt in the history of our country," Trump said. "No president has ever gone through anything like it, and it continues because our opponents cannot forget the almost 75 million people, the highest number ever for a sitting president, who voted for us just a few short months ago."

Trump's lawyers denounced the entire process as an unconstitutional "sham impeachment."

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Sam Amico spent 15 years covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports and NBA.com, along with a few other spots, and currently runs his own basketball website on the side, FortyEightMinutes.com.