WASHINGTON — House impeachment managers used their final day of arguments in the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump to tell Senators should have known his actions would lead to violence.
The House managers rested Thursday afternoon after three days of showing evidence and used Trump’s own words against him. They closed by saying the former President did not attempt to stop his supporters and that he did not show remorse.
Here are five key moments from Thursday’s proceedings:
Trump’s history is repeating itself:
Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who is the lead impeachment manager, said Trump should have expected his actions and his words would lead to the violence that took place on January 6. Raskin pointed to Trump’s tweets and statements about Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer led to his supporters being arrested and charged in a plot to kidnap the governor.
“Trump’s marching orders were followed by aggressive action on the ground,” Raskin said.
Raskin then showed video of Trump supporters chanting “lock her up” in reference to Whitmer and Trump responding by not condemning the actions and ignoring his supporters.
“I don’t comment on that,” Trump said at his rally. “They say, ‘the president led them on.’ No, I don’t have to lead you on.”
House managers also pointed to the moment Trump supporters attempted to run a Biden-Harris campaign bus traveling in Texas from San Antonio to Austin off the road. Both on Twitter and at a rally, Trump described them as “patriots.”
Trump did not show remorse:
Another main point from House managers is the former President never showed remorse or guilt for egging on his supporters in the days that followed the January 6 riot.
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., presented Trump’s video he tweeted and while he told the protestors should go home, he called them “very special” and said “we love you” despite the violence and chaos they created.
This is not a man who showed remorse,” Lieu said.
Lieu added Trump continued to push his false claims that the election was rigged by Democrats and that his loss was due to fraud, going too far rhetoric and actions.
“He still has not said the one sentence that matters, the one sentence that would prevent future political violence: ‘The election was not stolen.’, Lieu said.
Trump’s actions divided the country:
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, argued that Trump’s actions not only divided the county but damaged the United States’ standing among the rest of the world.
Castro read out reports and statements from foreign leaders from countries that was “not only to denigrate America, but to justify their own antidemocratic behavior calling America hypocritical.”
He argued Senators must convict Trump to show allies and other world leaders Trump’s actions do not represent the United States.
Trump cannot use the First Amendment as a defense:
In a pushback of the expected Trump defense argument, House managers said that the defense team plans to say the former President was using his First Amendment rights to free speech is invalid.
“Trump is not even close to the proverbial citizen who falsely shouts ‘fire’ in a crowded theater. He is like the now-proverbial municipal fire chief who incites a mob to go set the theater on fire, and not only refuses to put out the fire, but encourages the mob to keep going as the place spreads,” Raskin said. “We would hold that fire chief accountable. We would forbid him from that job ever again. And that’s exactly what must happen here.”
Managers make their final pitch for conviction:
The House Managers made their final pitch to convict Trump, using his words and actions in the lead up to the January 6 riot at the Capitol is enough to convict him.
“If you think this is not impeachable, what is? What would be?” said Raskin. “If you don’t find this a high crime and misdemeanor today, you have set a new, terrible standard for presidential misconduct in the United States of America.”
The prosecutors are hoping to convince senators that Trump should be convicted on the charge that he incited the riot that left five people dead but they will need 17 Republicans to side with all Democrats to reach the two-thirds majority needed to find Trump guilty.
