PRESIDENT TRUMP ACQUITTED

KAYLA MARTHALER, TRUMPET SENIOR NEWS WRITER

After months of proceedings and hearings following the impeachment by the House of Representatives of President Donald J. Trump on Dec. 15, the senate moved to acquit the President of both articles of impeachment on Feb. 6.

In early December, House Democrats brought up two articles of impeachment against President Trump. The first article of impeachment was abuse of power and the second article of impeachment was obstruction of congress, both of which the president was found guilty for in the U.S. house, and not guilty for in the U.S. Senate.

After launching a two-month investigation into his involvement with Ukraine and foreign investigations of former vice president and current potential presidential democratic candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, as well as foreign interference in the 2016 presidential election, according to CNN.

While President Trump was not removed from office on Feb. 6, the impeachment trial could have an impact in November during the 2020 presidential election. However, his total and Republican presidential approval ratings are the highest yet at 49% and 94% respectively, according to a Gallup poll.

The Senate vote ran almost exclusively on party lines, as most Republicans voted not guilty and most Democrats voted guilty. As the Republicans have a senate majority, not guilty was the majority vote for both articles of impeachment.

Utah Senator Mitt Romney was the only Republican to vote with Democrats and voted to convict Trump on abuse of power, according to NBC. The first article resulted in 5248 not guilty, and the second article resulted in 53-47 not guilty, according to AP News.

The acquittal was the expected outcome of many, after the senate voted against hearing witnesses on Friday, Jan. 31. The nation is split almost in half as his approval ratings are high, however, also based on polls nearly 50% of Americans want the President removed from office, according to CNN.