BOISE, Idaho — Former President Donald Trump was acquitted during his impeachment trial after the Senate voted 57-43 guilty on Saturday, less than the two-thirds majority needed to be found guilty. Both of Idaho's Senators, Jim Risch and Mike Crapo, voted to acquit Trump and released statements regarding their votes.
Both Sen. Risch and Sen. Crapo said the impeachment went against the constitution since President Trump is now a private citizen, and no longer in office.
However, neither senator addressed if Trump should be held accountable for his role in the U.S. Capitol insurrection that led to the deaths of five people and happened immediately after Trump held a rally in Washington D.C. and told thousands of his supporters to "fight like hell" at the Capitol and that he would be with them there.
"The purpose of the constitutional authority of impeachment is to remove the president from office. The person Democrats attempted to impeach was no longer in office. The United States Senate has no jurisdiction over a private citizen and thus impeachment was and is impossible," Sen. Risch wrote in a statement.
However, it was Senator Mitch McConnell who delayed the impeachment until after the inauguration so Trump's second impeachment was only unconstitutional after the then-Senator Majority Leader delayed the trial until after Trump left office, based on their statements.
"Private citizens are subject to accountability for their actions under our legal justice system. We must not dismiss the foundational tenets of our Constitution, particularly in the heat of the deep divisions we face in America," Sen. Crapo said.
Sen. Risch echoed a nearly identical sentiment, saying, "It's time we stop the political hate and vitriol and move forward wiser and stronger just as America has countless times before."
Sen. Crapo did add that there are investigations and arrests already underway for those who took part in the insurrection to overturn the election, which wasn't possible to begin with.
"The violent, despicable acts of January 6th have shaken our republic to its core and must not go unpunished," he said.
Neither Senator offered any clue or idea on how America should unite and heal.