One of the most historic, ongoing, political events is the impeachment of President Donald Trump. While this is an important moment which has only happened two other times in American history, it is very controversial and is met with mixed opinions across the country and at St. Andrew’s. 

“I don’t believe there was anything truly to impeach him on and many Republicans and some Democrats voted against the articles of impeachment in the congress of the 235 democratic seats held in the congress you need 218 to vote to begin the impeachment process of the President,” Senior Christopher Mccain said. “Of those 235 Democrats in congress, 5 broke ranks from the Democratic party and voted no citing that there was nothing concrete to impeach the President on. As I previously stated, I saw this all as a political stunt.”

“I honestly don’t see the purpose of impeaching him seeing the election coming up in a couple months,” Senior Auburn Hamme said. “I do think the accusations are impeachable from what I hear.”

At this point in the impeachment process, the United States House of Representatives, led by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, has collected documents of various charges against the President. These papers cover many allegations against Trump, and have been a spotlight in the 24 hour news cycle since Pelosi originally held the documents from continuing on to Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnel for the final trial against him. The documents include incriminating phone transcripts between Trump and the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as evidence of corruption with Ukraine, involving connections with Joe Biden and his son’s potentially corrupt board seat for an Iraqian oil company.

“Congress appropriated this aid to the Ukraine,” History Teacher James Foley said. “It was foreign aid designated by Congress, and the President was using it for political leverage with the Ukranian government, and that is problematic, because if you look at the evidence that has been offered, there are real ethical questions about the propriety of the American President using funds that have been authorized by congress with a country that is facing a very real threat from Russia.”

 This real threat being a separatist rebellion in eastern Ukraine. There is also evidence of secret dealings such as: dirt on opposing presidential candidates for 2020 as well as countries influencing past elections which have indirectly come into play for this hearing. 

“I think it is really troubling that the President apparently gave his blessing to his personal counsel, former mayor Rudy Giuliani, to engage in surreptitious diplomacy,” History Teacher James Foley said. “It really is deeply troubling, it’s not the kind of behavior that one would like to see from a President.”

Many subjects and views were brought into question, and as all angles were considered the House found Trump guilty.

According to Politico: “The House impeached Trump on Dec. 18 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress for pressuring Ukraine to investigate his political rivals and for blocking the House from further investigating the scandal.”

 Now these allegations along with newly produced additional transcripts are making their way to the Senate for trial.

“The Senate will receive the managers of the House of Representatives to exhibit the articles of impeachment against Donald John Trump, President of the United States,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in a Politico interview. 

The managers were chosen by Pelosi to personally walk the documents from the House to the Senate where the charges were read.

“President Trump used the powers of the presidency in a manner that compromised the national security of the United States and undermined the integrity of the United States Democratic process,” House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff read at the first meeting.

With the hearing now happening in the Senate and the Iowa caucus and 2020 election coming up, this trial will be very important. It has even more impact considering Trump’s campaign for reelection and no definite Democratic nominee yet. The three strongest candidates being Senator Bernie Sanders, who remains controversial even among some Democrats; Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is indirectly tied up in the impeachment of Trump (due to his son and the Ukraine); and Senator Elizabeth Warren who would be the first female President (a potentially risky move for the Democratic party). 

“I think for your generation this will be a valuable moment.” History Teacher James Foley said. “This is rather remarkable, it’s also at the same time troubling. One does not want to see this become a trend, because that’s really not what the founding fathers envisioned: that this becomes, in essence, a bludgeon that one political party can use against a President of another political party, and I hope it is not that.”

While the outcome is uncertain, the impeachment trial will undoubtedly play an impactful and historic role in the future of politics and the country.