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Oklahoma's U.S. Senators Again Vote Against Proceeding With Trump's Second Impeachment Trial

Sen. James Lankford
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) during a confirmation hearing for Neera Tanden, President Biden's nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget, on Feb. 9.

Oklahoma Sens. James Lankford and Jim Inhofe were among the 44 Senate Republicans who voted again Tuesday to declare former-President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial unconstitutional.

"You cannot vote to remove someone from office who is not even in office. This is nonsense and sets a terrible precedent for the future," Lankford wrote on Twitter.

"Last month, I stated that my plain reading of Article II, Section IV of the Constitution led me to believe that the Founders did not intend for us to impeach and try former federal office holders," Inhofe tweeted Tuesday. "I still believe that to be the case –which is why today I voted that the Senate does not have the jurisdiction to continue with these proceedings."

Trump was impeached last month, while still in office, for his role in inciting the deadly Jan. 6 insurrectionist attack on the U.S. Capitol; the Senate trial was delayed until after he left office by then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who declined to allow the Senate to reconvene earlier.

Six Senate Republicans joined with all 50 Senate Democrats in voting that the impeachment trial is constitutional and should proceed.

On Jan. 6th, Lankford was in the middle of remarks on the floor of the Senate, explaining why he planned to object to the legitimate results of the 2020 election, when pro-Trump attackers breached the building and the body abruptly recessed. He withdrew his objection after the attack, which left at least five dead. Inhofe did not object to President Joe Biden's rightful win, saying to do so would have been a betrayal of a senator's oath of office.

Chris joined Public Radio Tulsa as a news anchor and reporter in April 2020. He’s a graduate of Hunter College and the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, both at the City University of New York.
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