Trump's impeachment acquittal: The power of the mob

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Sanctioned from above: storming the US Capitol in January

Photo: STEPHANIE KEITH / REUTERS

An acquittal, they had warned, would be a license.

For more hate speech.

For further glorification of violence.

And, yes, for further attacks by the mob on American democracy.

Still, it turned out differently.

Only seven Republican senators were ultimately convinced that Donald Trump was responsible for the deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol in January.

That was more than expected.

But it was not enough for the required two-thirds majority - with which the second, now retroactive, impeachment proceedings against Trump also failed.

The actual vote on Saturday was over in 15 minutes, but it only fell after some chaos, when the Democrats surprisingly pushed through the summons of witnesses at the last moment - and then nevertheless renounced pressure from the Republicans.

The back and forth delayed the vote and caused hours of speculation, but ultimately it did not change anything in the predetermined outcome.

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57 senators voted for a subsequent impeachment - but the necessary majority was not achieved

Photo: 

US Senate TV / US Senate TV via REUTERS

It didn't change anything about the oppressive conclusion.

This political trial against Trump was a farce.

Both on the part of the Democrats, who whipped him through in a hurry - as well as the Republicans, many of whom believed Trump privately guilty, but drove in front of his base.

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