A major Missouri newspaper has called on Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) to hold former President Donald Trump accountable in his upcoming second impeachment trial or resign.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch published an editorial on Monday urging Hawley and his Republican colleagues to "impose law and order on Trump" and cited the deadly Capitol riot on January 6.
Hawley was one of the most prominent Republicans to object to President Biden's 2020 election victory. He supported formal objections to the Electoral College votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania.
The editorial said that Trump's impeachment trial centered on a single question: "Did Donald Trump abide by his oath of office between the Nov. 3 presidential election and the Capitol Hill insurrection on Jan. 6?"
"Missouri's two Republican senators, Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley, seem confused on this point, diverting the argument to whether impeaching Trump after he's left office violates the Constitution instead of focusing on the far-more blatant constitutional violations the world knows Trump committed," the newspaper said.
The editorial pointed out that Hawley, Blunt and 43 other GOP senators had tried to prevent the trial. Just five Republicans in the Senate voted against a motion arguing the impeachment was unconstitutional.
"But there's still time for them to switch gears and fulfill their sworn oath to impartially weigh Trump's guilt or innocence," the St. Louis Post-Dispatch said.
"There is no way to credibly argue that Trump protected and defended the Constitution when video evidence shows him directing a mob to storm the Capitol and interrupt constitutionally mandated proceedings to certify the Electoral College result."
The newspaper quoted Trump's comments at the January 6 "Save America" rally that immediately preceded the riot at the Capitol. During his speech to the crowd, Trump again disputed Biden's win and said "if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore."
"The insurrectionists obviously were dangerous and violent. Some came dressed in tactical gear, carrying zip-tie handcuffs. Five people died in the chaos as Capitol police struggled to hold protesters at bay," the editorial said.
Pointing to longstanding Republican claims to be the party of law and order, the newspaper said the "sole responsibility left to Hawley and his colleagues is to enforce the law and bring Trump to justice."
"Because any elected official who has law enforcement responsibility and won't do it needs to resign," the editorial concluded.
Trump's unprecedented second impeachment trial will begin on February 8 with the Senate now narrowly controlled by the Democrats. However, it's unlikely enough Republicans will vote to convict the former president.
Senator Josh Hawley has been asked for comment on this article.
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February 02, 2021 at 04:01PM
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Missouri Newspaper Tells Josh Hawley to 'Impose Law and Order' on Donald Trump or Resign - Newsweek
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