The editorial boards of The Washington Post and The New York Times on Wednesday issued searing responses to the GOP-controlled Senates vote to acquit Donald Trump on impeachment charges, warning the president may now feel empowered to act however he wants.

The Post, in an editorial titled Its not over. Congress must continue to hold Trump accountable, predicted Trump would take his acquittal as vindication and license for further improper actions.

That makes it incumbent upon responsible members of Congress, Republicans and Democrats alike, to do what they can to protect the integrity of the November election, as well as that of the Constitution, the newspapers board wrote.

Given how Trump has said he would accept dirt on an opponent if it were offered by a foreign government, the Posts said there is no reason to believe that Russia, Saudi Arabia and other authoritarian regimes favored by Mr. Trump wont try to help his campaign, as Russia did in 2016.