WASHINGTON (AP) – Former President Donald Trump’s historic second impeachment trial begins Tuesday, forcing the Senate to decide whether to convict him of incitement of insurrection after a violent mob of his supporters laid siege to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
While Trump’s acquittal is expected, all 100 senators will first have to sit at their desks and listen to hours of graphic testimony from House Democrats about the riots, which left five people dead. The House impeached Trump on Jan. 13, one week after the violence.
A look at the basics of the upcoming impeachment trial:
HOW DOES THE TRIAL WORK?
The Constitution says the House has the sole power of impeachment while the Senate has the sole power to try the individual on the charges. The person being impeached – who can be the president, the vice president or any civil officer of the United States – can be convicted by two-thirds of the senators present.