As expected, the U.S. Senate voted Wednesday to acquit President Donald Trump of abusing the powers of his office and obstructing Congress.
 


And while the vote was hailed by the Trump campaign as a note of vindication, one prominent Republican senator broke ranks and denounced the president's actions.

The outcome was never in doubt: From the time the House of Representatives launched its impeachment inquiry last fall, through its vote to impeach in December, and the eleven-day Senate trial that wrapped up earlier this week, there was never any realistic expectation that a two-thirds majority in the Senate would vote to convict and remove Trump from office. Instead, the debate was predictably partisan.

"You cannot be on the side of this president and be on the side of truth," Sen. Charles Schumer of New York told Senate colleagues shortly before Wednesday's vote.

Still, a handful of moderate senators remained on the fence as late as Wednesday afternoon. In the end, the Democrats were unified in voting to convict. Republicans were not.

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney was the lone defector, voting to convict Trump of abuse of power.

"The president is guilty of an appalling abuse of public trust," he said in an emotional floor speech earlier Wednesday afternoon, speaking to his religious faith and the judgment of history. "With my vote, I will tell my children and their children that I did my duty to the best of my ability, believing that my country expected it of me."

Trump was accused of withholding military aid and a promised White House meeting from Ukraine, in an effort to coerce two politically motivated investigations, one of them looking into the Bidens.

He promised to respond to the acquittal Thursday at noon from the White House.

In a rare moment of unity following the vote, senators joined in applauding Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who presided over the trial.

"You have been generous hosts," Roberts said in response, "I look forward to seeing you again — under happier circumstances."

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