On Friday evening, Chief Justice John Roberts announced that should a tie arise during the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, he would not step in to break it.
Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer prompted Chief Justice Roberts by asking the Justice if he was aware of two instances in which Chief Justice Salmon Chase made tie-breaking votes in the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson in 1868.
Roberts informed Schumer that he was aware of Chief Justice Chase's voting history, but that he would not be conducting himself in the same manner, should a tie arise.
Had she voted in favor of the motion, the resulting breakdown of votes would have been 50-50, leaving the possibility open for Chief Justice Roberts to step in and "Save" the motion by casting a vote in its favor.
When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.
For people who have bemoaned this trial as being "Unfair," it's deeply ironic Democrats are asking for Chief Justice Roberts to perform something that many would regard as a fundamental usurpation of our republic's values.
Photo In this image from video, President Pro Tempore of the Senate Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa., swears in Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts as the presiding officer for the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020..
https://thefederalist.com/2020/02/01/chief-justice-roberts-is-right-an-unelected-official-should-not-break-ties/
Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer prompted Chief Justice Roberts by asking the Justice if he was aware of two instances in which Chief Justice Salmon Chase made tie-breaking votes in the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson in 1868.
Roberts informed Schumer that he was aware of Chief Justice Chase's voting history, but that he would not be conducting himself in the same manner, should a tie arise.
Had she voted in favor of the motion, the resulting breakdown of votes would have been 50-50, leaving the possibility open for Chief Justice Roberts to step in and "Save" the motion by casting a vote in its favor.
When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.
For people who have bemoaned this trial as being "Unfair," it's deeply ironic Democrats are asking for Chief Justice Roberts to perform something that many would regard as a fundamental usurpation of our republic's values.
Photo In this image from video, President Pro Tempore of the Senate Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa., swears in Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts as the presiding officer for the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020..
https://thefederalist.com/2020/02/01/chief-justice-roberts-is-right-an-unelected-official-should-not-break-ties/
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