Video evidence takes center stage in Trump Impeachment trial
(NBC News) In a singular moment in American history, the second impeachment trial of former President Trump began Tuesday.
From the start it thrust the Senators sitting in judgment back to January 6th when a pro-Trump mob laid siege to the U.S. Capitol.
Those Senators, in some cases, were seated at desks that were ransacked by rioters. They’re now tasked with deciding whether Mr. Trump violated his Constitutional oath and bears responsibility for the deadly attack.
House impeachment managers replayed the harrowing events of January 6th and the former president’s own fiery words just before the riot, arguing that capped weeks of escalating lies and rhetoric about an election he falsely claims was fixed.
“That’s a high crime and misdemeanor, if that’s not an impeachable offense than nothing else is,” Lead House Impeachment Manager Representative Jamie Raskin said.
Tuesday’s debate focused on whether it’s constitutional to try a former president.
The Trump legal team argues impeachment is only intended to remove a president from office.
“We Can’t possibly be suggesting we punish people for political speech in this country,” Trump attorney Bruce Castro said.
The former president’s lawyers say he was speaking “figuratively” when he urged supporters to fight, that he was exercising his First Amendment rights and that the capitol attack was “pre-planned by a small group of criminals.”
Read more: http://nbcnews.to/2OmtOtE
