Former senator opines on fairness ahead of president’s impeachment trial

Chief Justice John Roberts did the honors swearing in the 100 senators who will serve as the jury in the trial of President Donald Trump starting on Tuesday. But, 21-years ago, former President Bill Clinton sat in the same hot seat. Now, a former senator who strongly considered voting against his political party is taking on what it means to be impartial.

Then Sen. Bob Graham, (D-FL), told The Daytona Beach News-Journal that while he ultimately voted against removing Clinton from office, he claimed he was a fair juror.

“I concluded that while the act was highly inappropriate particularly for the President of the United States,” Graham said, “that it did not rise to the level of a high crime or misdemeanor, which was the standard for impeachment.”

While Republicans hold a majority in the senate in this impeachment trial, Grahman told the Dayton Beach that it was not a “quick dismissal.”

“The members of today’s Senate, like the one I was in,” Graham said, “have to take the constitutional standard of responsibly determining what is a high crime or misdemeanor very seriously and based on the evidence that is brought to the Senate.”

Sen. Marco Rubio, (R-FL), appears to mirror Graham, saying he looks for answers to two questions.

“Did the president commit treason, bribery, and/or a high crime or misdemeanor as meant by Constitution?” Rubio said. “And does the president’s conduct rise to a level warranting his removal, or is it best left for voters to decide?”

Sen. Rick Scott, (R-FL), is taking a hard-line approach to the trial and called it a “circus.” Twenty Republicans would have to break ranks to remove Trump from office.