Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will not reconvene the Senate early to hold the impeachment trial of Donald Trump.
On Wednesday (January 13), staff members in McConnell’s office told the staff of Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer that Republicans won’t agree to an emergency convening.
The Senate is set to be back in session on January 19, but would need to convene earlier to try Trump, should the House impeach him.
In a memo sent to Republican colleagues last week, McConnell said that all 100 senators would have to agree to come back early to handle business.
Without this unanimous consent, Trump’s impeachment trial wouldn’t be able to start until January 20 at 1 p.m. after Joe Biden is inaugurated, per a report by The Hill.
Schumer argued against McConnell’s claim, stating that the two could come together and agree upon an emergency session, citing legislation passed in 2004.
“There was legislation passed in 2004 that allows the Senate minority and majority leader to jointly reconvene the Senate in times of emergency. This is a time of emergency,” Schumer said.
“I’ve asked him to call the Senate back –– all he needs is my agreement, I’m still minority leader,” he added.
Today (January 13), the House is debating the single article of impeachment filed against Trump and is set to vote in the afternoon.
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