Indian-American lawmakers like Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ami Bera, Ro Khanna, and Pramila Jayapal have been vocal in their support for the impeachment of former US President Donald Trump, in the aftermath of the riots that occurred on 6 January in Capitol Hill, reported PTI.
They had also, reportedly, voted in favour of impeaching ex-President Trump in the House of Representatives.
“The president incited the crowd that attacked our Capitol and our democratic institutions last month and the necessity of his conviction is as clear today as it was the day he caused United States Representatives, Senators, and their staff to flee for their lives and pray for their safety,” Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi said.
Krishnamoorthi further said, according to PTI, that while watching ex-President Trump’s impeachment trial before the senate, he could not help reflecting on the “extremely disturbing” developments of 6 January.
He also informed that he was forced to flee his own office, along with his staff, following the discovery of a bomb only two hundred feet away from his office window.
Meanwhile Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said “vote to convict”. She also described the video evidence of Trump “whipping up the mob, then the attack on the capitol” as “chilling”.
Trump’s Lawyers Raise Questions
Former President Donald Trump is the first-ever American president to have been impeached twice in one term.
Questions, according to PTI, were raised about the constitutionality of the trials by Trump’s lawyers Bruce Castor and David Schoen, who argued that the provisions do not apply to Trump as he is no longer president.
Trump’s attorney also mentioned that the trials were fuelled by Democrats’ ‘base hatred’ of Trump, reported PTI.
Impeachment Manager Jamie Raskin, (also a Democratic member of the US House of Representatives) defended the constitutionality of the trial saying that the case is based on “cold, hard facts”.
“It's all about the facts,” Raskin said, according to PTI, and added:
“President Trump has sent his lawyers here to try to stop the Senate from hearing the facts of this case. They want to call the trial over before any evidence is even introduced."
Both sides had 16 hours each to present in front of a 100-member senate.
The trials were confirmed with 56-44 votes in the House of Representatives.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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