The 1876 impeachment of William Belknap, who served as secretary of war under former President Ulysses S. Grant, provides a "clear precedent" for trying former President Donald Trump in the Senate, Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), a House impeachment manager, argued Tuesday during a debate over the constitutionality of Trump's second impeachment.
Neguse explained to the Senate that Belknap, who was "involved in a massive kickback scheme," rushed to the White House before his wrongdoing became public to resign so he could "avoid any further inquiry into his misconduct and ... to avoid being disqualified from holding federal office in the future." But the House moved forward and unanimously impeached, anyway.
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