While Trump’s term may be over, his time in court due to his involvement in the insurrection at the capitol on Jan. 6 has only just started.

The Senate began impeachment proceedings on Feb. 8, a process that is predicted to stretch into at least a week. Donald Trump’s lawyers and opposing lawmakers will present their case, and Senators will vote at the conclusion of the trial.

Lawyers Bruce Castor and David Schoen lead the former President’s legal team. Lead house impeachment manager Representative Jamie Raskin has been joined by many of his fellow Democratic colleagues in presenting the case against Trump.

Sixty-seven votes are needed to convict the former President, a number that is not expected to be reached. The Senate is currently split evenly between parties (50 Republicans, 48 Democrats, and 2 Independents who lean left), meaning 17 Republican lawmakers would have to vote in favor of impeachment.

While many Americans are sure of their opinion regarding the President’s actions on Jan. 6, they are not sure if it is worthwhile to pursue impeachment in the Senate.

Instead, they reason, time would be better spent on providing COVID-19 relief to families in need.
CCSU Senior Political Science and Philosophy major Johanna Zukowski “wishes Democratic leadership would not use impeachment as an excuse for neglecting our stimulus payments.”

This sentiment is shared by many Americans waiting for an improved COVID-19 stimulus package, a promise made by President Joe Biden during his campaign.

However, some people believe that President Trump should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, regardless of what other matters the trial pushes to the side.

Sophomore Political Science major Emily Fedor believes “they should continue with the impeachment trials, and do everything in their power to ensure Trump can never hold political office again. The trial also deserves more attention in the news, more Americans should be paying attention even if Trump is no longer in office.”

Another issue Americans are considering is the precedent that this trial is setting. By allowing Trump to be excused from punishment after inciting domestic terrorism, future leaders may believe that they could do the same.

Senior Political Science major Liam Collins says, ​”I think this trial is going to set a historic precedent on what a president can get away with.”

For some, the importance of the precedent that will be set is more important than delaying other government duties for the time being.

Senior Political Science major Rebecca Agyei says, “​The optimist in me is screaming that it is imperative that this trial is done fully because this sets the tone for the future of the American experiment.

If someone like Donald Trump can get away with all of the things he’s done in office.. in addition to inciting a whole insurrection on the capital, then what does that say about our ability to uphold our democratic institutions and hold our elected leaders accountable?”

Students were able to agree on two things, the first being the fact that the President’s actions during the January 6th insurrection were inexcusable. Secondly, it is disappointing to see lawmakers and Americans forced to decide which issue is more important: providing economic relief to struggling families during a pandemic or prosecuting a former President for inciting domestic terrorism.