Senate votes to acquit Trump in historic second impeachment trial

Earlier than transferring to his closing arguments, Raskin underscored the significance of Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler’s assertion and argued the previous president’s conduct whereas the violence on the Capitol was ongoing is related to the cost he incited an rebel.

“After he knew that violence was underway on the Capitol, President Trump took actions that additional incited the insurgents to be extra infected and to take much more excessive, selective and targeted motion in opposition to Vice President Mike Pence,” Raskin stated.

That conduct, he stated, is “clearly half and parcel” of the constitutional offense Mr. Trump was impeached by the Home for, incitement of rebel.

Raskin shot down the protection’s declare that Mr. Trump’s actions earlier than and after the riot are irrelevant. 

“In fact your conduct whereas a criminal offense is ongoing is related to your culpability, each to the continuation of the offense but in addition straight related, straight illuminating to what your objective was initially, what was your intent,” he stated.

Turning to his closing arguments, Raskin then supplied a spirited protection of Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who was considered one of 10 GOP lawmakers who voted to question Mr. Trump and whose publish because the Home’s No. 3 Republican was threatened due to her help for impeachment.

“Who says you possibly can’t arise in opposition to bullies?” he stated after citing Cheney’s assertion on her impeachment vote, the place she stated “way more will change into clear within the coming days and weeks, however what we all know now could be sufficient.”

Raskin laid out Mr. Trump’s efforts to reverse the end result of the presidential election, from the strain he placed on state election officers like Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to his tweets encouraging his supporters to rally in Washington on January 6 in his protection.

“Assume, think about, is there one other president in our historical past who would urge supporters to return to Washington for a wild time?” Raskin stated.

Talking to senators who could also be “flirting with the thought” the previous president’s conduct earlier than the assault was applicable, Raskin raised the “key query” to resolve these doubts.

“How did Donald Trump react when he realized of the violent storming of the Capitol and the threats to senators, members of the Home and his personal vice chairman, in addition to the photographs he noticed on TV of the pummeling and beating and harassment of our cops?” he stated.

Raskin stated Mr. Trump’s actions January 6 clarify he supported the actions of the rioters.

“By means of his acts of omission and commision that day, he abused his workplace by siding with the insurrectionists at nearly each level, relatively than with the Congress of the USA, relatively than with the Structure,” he stated.

Raskin implored the Senate to seek out Mr. Trump responsible of incitement of rebel, citing the violence perpetrated by the mob, the lives misplaced and the accidents suffered.

“He additional incited them whereas failing to defend us,” he stated. “If that is not grounds for conviction, if that is not a excessive crime and misdemeanor in opposition to the republic of the USA of America, then nothing is. President Trump have to be convicted for the protection and safety of our democracy and our folks.”

Congressman David Cicilline of Rhode Island, following Raskin, then rebutted claims from Mr. Trump’s attorneys that they didn’t know of the proof put forth by the managers earlier within the trial, noting the Senate decision entitled them to have entry to the fabric. He additionally famous the authorized group by no means refuted the accuracy of Mr. Trump’s tweets, which have been publicly out there.

Cicilline stated he would “insist” on telling his story if he stood charged with incitement to rebel. Whereas Democrats requested Mr. Trump to voluntarily testify earlier than the trial’s begin, the previous president’s attorneys swiftly rejected their request.

Cicilline laid out the timeline of what Mr. Trump knew and when he knew it. He dismissed the protection’s declare that Mr. Trump did not know Pence was in peril, noting the previous president “did nothing” to assist his vice chairman.

The president, he stated, was primarily conveying “you bought what you deserve.”

“His singular focus: stopping the certification of the election of his opponent,” Cicilline stated. “He incited the violence to cease the certification, he attacked the vice chairman and additional incited the rebel to strain the vice chairman to cease the certification, he referred to as Senator Tuberville to cease the certification, and he refused to ship assist to Congress, and this Congress and the vice chairman of the USA have been in mortal hazard as a result of he wished to cease the certification.”

Mr. Trump’s “sole focus was stealing the election for himself,” he stated.

“President Trump willfully betrayed us,” Cicilline stated. He added that every one these within the Capitol have been left  “to our personal units in opposition to an assault he incited and he alone might cease.”