Analysis | GOP sends message that Trump’s actions were OK
With their expected vote this coming week to acquit President Donald Trump of abusing power and obstructing Congress, GOP senators are giving their express approval to the conduct that landed Trump at the center of the fourth impeachment case in American history. It’s the same message that House Republicans sent late last year with their unanimous votes against sending the case to trial.
“No,” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, one of the House Democratic impeachment managers, said in a retort to Republicans. “Lawlessness matters, abuse of power matters, corruption matters. The Constitution matters.” On the brink of the acquittal vote, some Republican senators insist that doesn’t mean they are simply giving Trump a pass. They argue there is more to consider in this moment than a yes or no question on whether Trump violated his oath of office by pushing Ukraine to investigate his Democratic opponents and blocking Congress’ ability to investigate the matter.
But behind the flickers of disapproval and the sober, carefully parsed statements, the all but certain acquittal vote Wednesday means Republicans are also accepting Trump's behavior and establishing a precedent for the ways in which an American president can wield the power of the office for personal political gain.
Though Dershowitz later tried to back away from the most expansive interpretations of his remarks, the crux of his argument remained: Trump wasn’t out of bounds in seeking a foreign government’s assistance for personal political gain, nor would he or a future president be if it happened again. But those moments of GOP anxiety proved to be fleeting. Time after time, Republicans found reasons to stand by the president.
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