Susan Collins has it right: Censure Donald Trump, forgo an impeachment trial and move ahead.
It’s clear that a trial will not result in a conviction. It’s also clear that it will change few minds. Former President Trump will be able to boast that he was acquitted, that the whole endeavor was simply another witch hunt.
A censure vote would enter the permanent historical record. Surely his remarks on Jan. 6 – and during the weeks leading up to it – deserve a formal rebuke. Would Republican senators join such an effort? That’s hard to predict, but perhaps censure could frame this issue differently. At least it would remove the question of constitutionality from the discussion. Might a vote of conscience prevail over a political calculation? As Alexander Pope wrote: “Hope springs eternal.”
James T. Dowell
Topsham
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