Jan. 27 (UPI) — Sen. Pat Leahy, who’s set to preside over former President Donald Trump‘s second impeachment trial next month, was hospitalized Tuesday, his spokesman said.
It’s unclear what ailed the 80-year-old Democrat from Vermont.
Spokesman David Carle provided an update around 9 p.m. saying Leahy had returned home.
“This evening, Senator Leahy was in his Capitol office and was not feeling well. He was examined in the Capitol by the attending physician,” Carle said earlier in the day.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the attending physician recommended that he be taken to a local hospital for observation, where he is now, and where he is being evaluated.”
Leahy announced Monday he would preside over Trump’s pending impeachment trial as president pro tempore of the Senate instead of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, as is customary.
“The president pro tempore has historically presided over Senate impeachment trials of non-presidents. When presiding over an impeachment trial, the president pro tempore takes an additional special oath to do impartial justice according to Constitution and the laws. It is an oath I take extraordinarily seriously,” he said.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., took issue with that decision and launched an effort to declare the second impeachment trial unconstitutional Tuesday. The Senate voted 55-45 against Paul’s motion.
Leahy has served in the U.S. Senate since 1975.
