It always seemed unlikely that Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate Republican leader, would vote to convict the disgraced ex-president who holds sway over most of his party.
But the justification McConnell offered when announcing his vote for acquittal Saturday was an act of political cynicism and a weaselly evasion of the main issue the Senate was asked to decide: whether Donald Trump bears responsibility for the sacking of the Capitol on Jan. 6.
McConnell has already said what he thinks about the facts: Trump is guilty of incitement, at least under a common-sense definition of the word.
For the usually sphinx-like McConnell, that was a moment of stunning clarity – as close to an act of courage as we’ve seen lately in a party whose members are alternately enthralled or terrified by Trump.
But McConnell then retreated, voting to spare Trump from being held accountable – not because he is innocent, but on narrow procedural grounds.