BREAKING: Mitch McConnell Says The Senate Will Dismiss Impeachment After Opening Statements

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In a Senate trial, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that Republicans will seek to dismiss impeachment charges against President Donald Trump immediately after hearing opening statements.

McConnell’s remarks came from the Senate floor on Tuesday.

As a model for a proposed trial of Trump, the Majority Leader said that he was using the 1999 Senate trial of President Bill Clinton.

McConnell suggested that a motion to dismiss would be put forth by Republicans after opening statements.

McConnell said, “By any ordinary legal standard, what House Democrats have assembled would appear to be woefully, woefully inadequate to prove what they want to allege.”

“The House should not impeach on this basis in the first place,” he added.

In the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, it was initiated on October 8, 1998.

The House voted to commence impeachment proceedings against Clinton for “high crimes and misdemeanors.”

The specific charges against Clinton were lying under oath and obstruction of justice. The charges stemmed from a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Clinton by Paula Jones and from Clinton’s own testimony.

A trial in the Senate began in January 1999, with Chief Justice William Rehnquist presiding.

However, on February 12, Clinton was acquitted on both counts as neither received the necessary two-thirds majority vote of the senators present for conviction and removal from office.

WATCH: Mitch McConnell Says The Senate Will Dismiss Impeachment After Opening Statements

In Clinton’s Senate trial, 45 senators voted to convict while 55 voted for acquittal on Article One.

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On Article Two, 50 senators voted to convict while 50 voted for acquittal.

Clinton remained in office for the balance of his second term.