NEW YORK, USA (CMC) — A Haitian-American legislator has welcomed the impeachment of United States President Donald J Trump, who has become the third US president to be impeached in the nation’s history.

Trump is expected to face trial in the US Senate early in the new year.

Farah Louis, who represents the predominantly Caribbean 45th Council District in Brooklyn, said the “historic impeachment vote sends a resounding message that anyone who undermines our democracy or betrays the public’s trust by abusing their power will be held accountable — even the president of the United States.

“His [Trump’s] reckless behaviour and complete disregard for our constitution, which he swore to uphold, has done irreparable harm to our nation,” Louis told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC), adding that the “American people need a true leader in the White House that will implement policies that are inclusive and benefits the majority, not just the one per cent”.

Added the legislator: “Instead of utilising his Administration to unify us, this ‘Tweeter-in-Chief’ has consistently demoralised his opponents,” said Louis, a member of New York City Council’s committees on civil service and labour; economic development; education; finance; housing and buildings; committee on youth services; and justice system.

“It is my hope that the US Senate will not place politics before people, and take the necessary measures to restore what has been tarnished over the past two years,” she said.

Immediately after Trump was impeached Wednesday night for committing high crimes and misdemeanours, Caribbean American Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D Clarke, who joined her colleagues in the United States House of Representatives in impeaching Trump, told CMC that it was an “historic and sombre time for America”.

The daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, Clarke said it was “a necessary day of reckoning, and a test of our resilience and ability to uphold our democracy.

“I voted to impeach Donald J Trump based on two articles of impeachment — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — presented by the House Judiciary committee. This impeachment was necessary. Our nation’s national security is on the line, compromised by Donald Trump.

“I am proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with my colleagues on the right side of history in doing our duty to hold Donald J Trump accountable for his lawbreaking, unconstitutional actions,” said Clarke, stating that, from the onset of assuming the presidency, Trump engaged in a number of activities she characterised as “impeachable offences”.

“When our commander-in-chief goes against his sacred oath of office, and brazenly and repeatedly violates upholding the constitution, this is a betrayal of his oath of office to the American people,” Clarke said.

The congresswoman also said that Trump is “morally reprehensible”, and that voters will address his actions in next year’s US presidential elections.

“He has unabashedly and brazenly broken the law, right in front of the American people,” she said. “His current behaviour and actions are dangerous, with severe implications for the upcoming 2020 election; his actions mirroring that of the corrupted 2016 election where he brazenly welcomed foreign interference.

“With his self-dealing tendencies, Donald Trump has proven to be an existential threat to our national security; and, his conduct, if left unchecked, will leave us vulnerable to future election interference, and ultimately usher in the demise of our democratic republic,” Clarke affirmed.

She said the House of Representatives pushed back on Trump, “and I hope the Senate will follow suit and put our country above party and convict him for his lawless, reckless, self-dealing and unconstitutional actions”.

The Democratic-controlled House voted strictly along party lines to impeach Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. A simple majority was required in the House to impeach the president.

He now faces removal from office by the Republican-controlled US Senate.

Two-third of votes cast in the Senate are required for Trump to be removed. Pundits say that is highly unlikely, given that Republicans are “lockstep” with Trump.

New York City public advocate and the son of Grenadian immigrants, Jumaane Williams said the gravity of Trump’s impeachment is “matched only by its clear necessity”.

“This president, who has abused his privilege, his office and his people since he first took office, is now finally facing constitutional consequence for one of his egregious acts,” said Williams, a frequent Trump critic.

“He deserved it, and his conduct demanded it,” added the Brooklyn resident. “There has, perhaps, never been a more clear public case for action. I thank those in the House of Representatives who voted to impeach, and the activists across the country who brought us to this point of accountability.

“While it is widely believed that the Republican Senate will not ultimately vote to remove the president, that does not mean a potential acquittal is right, nor does it mean that we can allow tolerance of the president’s conduct as normal, or the Republican Senate’s cowardice as an acceptable inevitability,” Williams said.

“The world and history are watching as partisan thought allows legislators to put the politics of incumbency protection over the realities of Donald Trump’s tyrannical conduct.

“I implore senators to do what is just, to hold a full trial and render justice through removal,” he said. “I’m not holding my breath, but, along with people across our city and nation, I will work to hold them accountable.”

With Republicans completely united in opposition, just two Democrats opposed the article on abuse of power, which accused the president of corruptly using the power of government to seek election aid from Ukraine in investigating and discrediting the Democratic front-runner, former US Vice-President Joseph Biden, and his son, Hunter