ABC’s Jon Karl Says Trump Acquitted But ‘Not Vindicated’: ‘The Evidence Was Laid Out for the World to See’

Even though Donald Trump was acquitted in his second impeachment trial, ABC’s Jon Karl said the former president’s legacy will be forever tethered to the invasion his supporters launched against the U.S. Capitol.

Karl joined George Stephanopoulos on This Week to address the historical and political ramifications of Trump’s impeachment. While the Senate failed to reach the 67 votes necessary to convict Trump, the trial ended with 57 guilty votes to 43 non-guilty votes, and 7 Republicans broke party ranks to declare Trump guilty of inciting an insurrection.

As Karl was asked to break this all down, he summarized that “Donald Trump is acquitted, but he’s not vindicated, not by a long shot.”

“The evidence was laid out for the world to see, and for history, leading to the most bipartisan guilty vote ever,” Karl continued. “History will also make its judgment on those 43 Senate Republicans voted not to acquit.”

Karl went on by noting that Mitch McConnell (R-KY) voted to acquit Trump on procedural grounds, but then the Senate Minority Leader gave a speech on Saturday pronouncing Trump “morally and practically responsible” for the attack on the Capitol.

“McConnell seemed to be calling for the banishment of Donald Trump from the Republican Party, and he stopped just short of calling for a criminal prosecution of Trump,” Karl observed.

Watch above, via ABC.

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