SALT LAKE CITY — The nation watched as the U.S. House Wednesday jumped onto untrodden ground, taking the first step of its kind in the country's history: Voting to impeach the President of the United State of America, for a second time.
And it has many asking, what's next?
"First time. Uncharted constitutional territory," said Tim Chambless, Associate Professor Adjunct in the Department of Political Science at the University of Utah. "We've never had a president like this. We've never had a president impeached twice by two different congresses."
The second political indictment comes one week before the end of office for President Trump, which Chambless explains means there will be no U.S. Senate trial to decide a conviction or removal from office before the president's term is over.
"The senate majority leader who sets the agenda, is not going to have a senate trial convened at least until after the current president has left office," Chambless confirmed.
So what does this mean for President Trump's future? How exactly will this process play out now?
"We don't know," Chambless said. "We don't have a precedent for this."
He described how scholars disagree on where things go from here.
"Really now, is the matter over?" He asked. "Well, Democrats say no. And many Republicans are very concerned-- Republicans who want to be candidates for president four years from now in 2024."
If the Senate holds a trial and convicts Trump post-presidency for "incitement of insurrection," Chambless talked about how the 14th Amendment, Section 3 outlines a potential consequence. It could prevent President Trump from running again in the future.
It states:
"No Person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability."
"If a person goes through the impeachment process, he or she cannot hold federal office in the future," Chambless said, adding, "but it's never been tested."
Never been tested, because again-- this is all new territory.
Chambless said anything is possible. In seven days when President Trump returns to being a private citizen, Chambless is confident more than just an impeachment will unfold.
"He's going to have subpoenas and lawsuits coming his way," Chambless said. "So there are consequences for him."
