That prevents sufficient majorities of both houses from impeaching and convicting a pres just because they feel like it. The likelihood is very slim, because it would require the opposing party to have a massive majority in Congress, but if it did, it would be analogous to a vote of no confidence. The impeaching party might also suffer political consequences if they chose to do that for no reason.

You would be screaming louder than anyone to impeach a dem outgoing pres under these same circumstances. The bipartisan support for impeachment even just to this point lends legitimacy to the political determination that Trump bears great responsibility for a coup attempt and terrorist attack. He has literally become a terrorist leader while still occupying the WH.

I’d bet McConnell right now is lobbying hard to find the 17 repub votes to convict in the senate. If he and Schumer call the senate back into session, I will take that as a strong indication that he’s found them.