Washington, Jan 24 (PTI) An influential Republican Senator on Sunday said that the scheduled Senate impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump is constitutional and that he would vote on it based on facts and evidence presented during the trial beginning February 8.

"The preponderance of the legal opinion is that an impeachment trial after someone's left office is constitutional. I believe that's the case. I will, of course, hear what the lawyers have to say for each side. But I think it's pretty clear that the effort is constitutional,” Senator Mitt Romney told CNN's 'State of the Union' in an interview.

Romney has been a harsh critic of Trump.

"I will listen to the arguments, both by the prosecution, as well as by the defense. We haven't heard those yet. I will read the briefs. And I will make a decision. I will make a decision based upon the facts and the evidence that as it's presented," he said.

Responding to a question, Romney said that Trump's role in the January 6 incident is an impeachable offence.

"I believe that what is being alleged and what we saw, which is incitement to insurrection, is an impeachable offense. If not, what is? he said, referring to the impeachment article passed by the House earlier this month that charges Trump with inciting the deadly US Capitol riot on January 6.

These allegations are very serious, he asserted. “They haven't been defended yet by the president. He deserves a chance to have that heard. But I think it's important for us to go to the normal justice process and for there to be resolution,” said the Junior Republican Senator from Massachusetts.

Trump is the first ever president in American history to be impeached twice. The House has already impeached him for his role in attack on the Capitol Hill on January 6. The Senate is scheduled to start his impeachment trial on February 8.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)