WASHINGTON D.C. — Wyoming Senators John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis were among the 43 United States Senators who voted to acquit former President Donald Trump today in his second impeachment trial.
According to NPR, a majority of senators voted to convict Trump in a 57 to 43 vote, including seven Republicans. However, two-thirds, or 67 votes, was needed to convict.
Trump was impeached for inciting the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 while lawmakers were certifying the Electoral College votes in his election loss to President Joe Biden.
After voting to oppose impeachment, Senator Lummis criticized the time wasted on impeachment proceedings when Wyoming citizens continue to suffer from the economic effects of the COVID lockdown.
“From the start, I made it clear that I believed this exercise was an unconstitutional distraction that prevented Congress from addressing the very real issues that Wyoming citizens are dealing with,” Lummis said. “While we spent a week on a political sideshow to which we already knew the ending (acquittal), Congress could have been working on a bipartisan COVID relief package to help struggling businesses in Wyoming. We could have been working to safely reopen schools as health experts recommend. We could have been marking up the POWER Act to ensure American energy independence. Instead, we spent the last week trying to impeach a private citizen from an office he no longer holds – at the expense of American taxpayers.”
Senator Barrasso had similar sentiments, saying it is now “time for Congress to move forward”.
“From day one, and consistent with my duty to the Constitution, I opposed this impeachment trial of a private citizen and former president. Today I voted for acquittal,” Barrasso said.
He added that they now have an opportunity to bring about healing and get to work for the residents of Wyoming.
“We have an opportunity to bring about some much-needed healing by focusing on our greatest needs. There is important work to be done for the people of Wyoming and our country. We can start by working together to bring back jobs, get kids safely back to school, and by putting the virus behind us,” Barrasso said.
Barrasso said that the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, however, will not be forgotten.
“The violence and mayhem of January 6 will never be forgotten. I continue to reflect on the bravery of the men and women who protected our Capitol that day, and honor those who lost their lives in service.”