That might be the only true thing he has ever said, but I believe it.
“I 100% believe Jeff Flake when he says that if there were a secret ballot 35 Republicans would vote to remove.”
I agree with you as well. I suspect there is a great deal of private arm twisting going on to convince the Senate GOP caucus to adopt rules for the Senate trial incorporating a secret ballot for the conviction vote. If there is a secret ballot, the vote to convict may be overwhelming to convict - 90 for, 10 against.
If Trump is convicted, his life will become extremely difficult. He and his family will be dogged by criminal investigations, trials and civil lawsuits. The deep state and establishment will do everything in its power to ruin him and his family. The goal will be to put him in prison where he will live in misery and humiliation. If New York State can find a way to railroad him into a conviction for some crime, they’ll put him in the general prison population. Pence will not pardon him. If a Democrat wins the 2020 election, and Trump is sentenced to federal prison, he’ll be put in the worst one.