Day Three Highlights
The Wall Street Journal reports Democrats Wrap Up, Warning Trump Is Still a Risk
- Democrats focused on the rioters’ own statements to as evidence that the attack was carried out at Mr. Trump’s direction. They also emphasized Mr. Trump’s lack of remorse after the attack and sought to establish a pattern of Mr. Trump praising violence by his followers.
- In a move of questionable legal merit, a group of Republican senators met privately with Donald Trump’s legal team.
- Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.) took copious notes listening intently to the House managers’ arguments. He may vote to convict.
- Sen. Susan Collins (R., Maine) said she hoped Mr. Trump’s defense would be as detailed as what Democrats had put forward.
- Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, the lead impeachment manager cited the 1969 landmark Supreme Court case, Brandenburg v. Ohio. In that ruling, the high court found that the government could not prohibit free speech and free press “except where such advocacy is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action and is likely to incite or produce such action.”
- “Absolutely nobody in America would be protected by the first amendment if they did the things that Donald Trump did,” Mr. Raskin said. “President Trump is not even close to the proverbial citizen who falsely shouted fire in a crowded theater,” he said. “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 blaze spreads.”
- “I think they were very effective. They had a strong, strong presentation put together in a way that I think makes it pretty compelling,” Sen. John Thune (R., S.D.) said on Wednesday.
- Rep. Diana DeGette (D., Colo.) played a clip of Mr. Trump speaking on Jan. 7 after the attack, when he said “to all of my wonderful supporters, I know you are disappointed. But I also want you to know that our incredible journey is only just beginning.” “Impeachment is not to punish but to prevent,” she said. “We are not here to punish Donald Trump. We are here to prevent the seeds of hatred that he planted from bearing any fruit.”
- Fading attention. Sen. Rick Scott (R., Fla.) was writing on a blank map of Asia—he had studied what appeared to be a map of Southeast Asia during yesterday’s proceedings as well.
- In Closing, Raskin Quotes Thomas Paine: ‘Tyranny, Like Hell, Is Not Easily Conquered’
- Mr. Raskin also reminded senators that even if they had voted against proceeding with the trial on constitutional grounds earlier in the week, the majority of the Senate had ruled the trial constitutional, so they should deliver a verdict based on the merits of the case, and on their assessment of Mr. Trump’s conduct.
Many Riot Defendants Say They Were Motivated by Trump
- Many of the more than 200 defendants who have been charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6 riot have responded by saying they were motivated to go to the Capitol by former President Donald Trump.
- A woman who faces conspiracy and other charges for allegedly planning the attack in advance, was “awaiting direction from President Trump,” and at one point in the days before Jan. 6, told an associate they planned to go to Washington because “Trump wants all able bodied Patriots to come,” adding that if “Trump activates the Insurrection Act, I’d hate to miss it.”
- Mr. Raskin also showed video of Mr. Trump joking at a rally after extremists plotted to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, prompting his followers to chant, “Lock her up!”
- House manager Diana DeGette, a congresswoman from Colorado, opened the second day of arguments at Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial with a presentation focused on the perspectives of the rioters themselves. One man shown on a video stream said: “Our president wants us here. We wait and take orders from our president.”
- Ms. DeGette played a video clip that showed that when rioters first got in the building, the mob screamed at officers that they were listening to Mr. Trump, so the police should let them in. “Let’s call Trump. Yes, dude, let’s tell Trump what’s up. …He’ll be happy. …We’re fighting for Trump!” a rioter said in another video played by Ms. Degette.
- “Does he not realize President Trump called us to seize the place?” a woman at the Capitol said in a TV interview later that day.
- One woman said that she felt no shame for her actions on Jan. 6 because “I was doing what he asked me to do.”
Defense on Friday
Trump’s legal defense team goes to bat on Friday.
Most expect the defense will take only a day. There could be a vote as early as tomorrow. If not, then next week.
Mish
I haven’t tuned in to watch, but I’m guessing the defense wrap-up goes something like this:
“Nanny-nanny-boo-boo…we got the votes to acquit. Republicans rule and Dems can eat sh*t.”
What a joke on all Americans.
Correct. And then all Republicans with a conscience sigh, and silently support Democrats until such time as their party stops embracing evil.
The way he attacked Pence on twitter after Pence had been pulled from the floor, what a dick. What a sad sad man, incapable of friendship or empathy.
Is your name Lance Manly or Manly Lance?
As several others including Trey Gowdy have pointed out as bad as Trump’s pre January conduct was the most damming evidence was Trump’s behavior in the hours after he “learned” of the riot/insurrection. Trump had a duty to protect under the constitution and yet he did nothing for hours. It arguably demonstrates conscientiousness of guilt.
I understand different rules apply to a Senate trial but how is this OK?
Cruz, Graham and Lee huddling with Trump’s defense team mid-trial discussing strategy?
Former President Donald Trump’s legal team met with Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Thursday afternoon after the House managers rested their case.
Cruz said they were “discussing their legal strategy and sharing our thoughts.”
I see that Biden’s calls for national unity are going well…not. This charade reminds me of the political court proceedings in the good ol’ USSR. When the culprit was known, the crime was found.
As I see it, US politics is a broken game. Seems like the mafia runs it.
Onni4me, Can I ask on what grounds are you calling this the impeachment a ‘charade’?
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2021
cha•rade (shə rād′; esp. Brit. shə räd′),
n.
Gamescharades, (used with a sing. v.) a game in which the players are typically divided into two teams, members of which take turns at acting out in pantomime a word, phrase, title, etc., which the members of their own team must guess.
Gamesa word or phrase acted out in this game.
a blatant pretense or deception, esp. something so full of pretense as to be a travesty.
Do we really kowtow to the weak minded that much now? Let the actors pay for their actions not attempt to push it off on the President. If we want to play this game then we might as well free the softball shooter that nearly killed Scalise and go after all the politicians who influenced him. Ditto the Tucson shooter from 2010 that nearly killed Rep. Giffords. Although in that case most of the “guilty” are not Americans.
” … then we might as well free the softball shooter that nearly killed Scalise and go after all the politicians who influenced him.”
1, The shooter was shot dead on scene, can’t be set free.
2, He was a Sanders follower, procure any suggestive language Bernie used to provoke Hodgkinson to attack anyone.
The Senate is really busy… so is the House. Got this tonight from my “representative” Andy Levin:
Dear Friend,
Every policy decision I make as a member of Congress is about raising the standard of living of working people and guaranteeing economic justice for all. Our country, our economy and our education system must work for every American—not just a wealthy few.
That’s why I’ve cosponsored and voted for legislation to raise the minimum wage, close the gender wage gap and reform multiemployer pension plans.
Last month, I helped reintroduce H.R. 603, the Raise the Wage Act which gradually raises the minimum wage and ends sub-minimum wages for tipped workers and workers with disabilities so everyone makes $15 an hour by 2025. Our current minimum wage, $7.25, has not been raised in more than a decade—the longest span of time without an increase in the minimum wage since it was established eight decades ago. On February 9, I was proud to vote for a $15 minimum wage as the House Education and Labor Committee considered a comprehensive bill to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and get our economy back on track. I will continue fighting for this raise for 27 million Americans until it becomes a reality. As Congress works to pass another coronavirus relief package and explores ways to further extend much needed support to Americans, I want to know how an increase in the minimum wage would impact you.
Nepotism in politics at work.
Either I am missing something or just plain dense. Where is the nepotism? Isn’t that what we just experienced under 4 years of the Donald?
He inherited his seat when his father, Sander “Sandy” Levin, retired in 2018 and he is the nephew of a former US senator as well. He has passed all his life in government. It’s in his wiki page.
Must be nice to have a friend in congress 🙂