CNN anchor Jake Tapper criticized Republicans who voted in the Senate to dismiss the upcoming impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump.
Discussing the proceedings on Tuesday afternoon’s “CNN Newsroom,” Tapper argued that Republicans have never wanted to hold Trump “to any sort of standard.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and 44 other Republicans voted Tuesday for Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul’s motion to dismiss the trial, with every Democrat and five GOP senators voting to table the motion.
WATCH:
“You know, it’s just so strange because — look, I’m not a constitutional scholar. I don’t have an opinion on this, but a lot of people who are voting to not have any consequences for Donald Trump are doing so not because of constitutionality but because they don’t want to hold Donald Trump to any sort of standard and they never have,” Tapper said.
“Some of these are the same people who will, like, vote to deny government assistance to somebody because they test positive for drugs,” he continued. “They believe in consequences for everybody else but the president. Outgoing president, former president, can literally incite an insurrection on the Capitol to hold on to power, to subvert democracy, and they don’t think there should be consequences.”
The CNN anchor wondered what other “consequence” Trump would face if impeachment did not proceed.
“What consequence should there be, or do you think that some people are just above the law?” he asked rhetorically. “I mean, should there be a criminal trial?” (RELATED: Biden Says Senate Impeachment Trial ‘Has To Happen’)
The Senate impeachment trial is set to begin Monday Feb. 8.