At the same time, there’s pretty much widespread agreement on a point that would be central to the debate over a Senate trial — where a two-thirds vote is required for conviction but where the Constitution itself is sufficiently ambiguous on the requirements for him to do it. In fact, the word “must” doesn’t appear anywhere in the document.
“Up to the Senate,” former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said in an email. “No way to force them to act.”
“The Senate makes the decision,” agreed Don Ritchie, the retired Senate historian.
For most senators, the default answer on pretty much every impeachment question in the Trump era has been to punt. It’s too speculative, they frequently say, even when presented with the details of something the president has done that House Democrats are willing to declare has crossed a line worthy of his removal.
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