'Who's to say it won't happen again?' Dems end their case against Trump and challenge his defense to prove he DIDN'T incite MAGA riot
Democrats concluded their case against President Donald Trump Thursday afternoon, by again warning their Senate audience that if they acquit the ex-president, he could return to public office and act the same all over again.
'If we let it go unanswered who's to say it won't happen again?' asked impeachment manager, Rep. Joe Neguse, who was charged with reviewing all the arguments the House Democrats team had put forth over the last two days.
Rep. Jamie Raskin, the lead impeachment manager, ended Thursday's session by challenging Trump's lawyers to actually defend his actions.
'In trust we hope that the defense will understand the constitutional gravity and solemnity of this trial by focusing like a laser beam on the facts and not return to the constitutional argument that's already been decided,' Raskin said.
On Tuesday, the Senate had voted 56-44 that it was constitutional to try an ex-official, allowing the trial to proceed.
'So our friends must work to answer all of the overwhelming, detailed, specific factual and documentary evidence we've introduced of the president's clear and overwhelming guilt in inciting a violent insurrection,' Raskin continued.
Raskin reminded the Senate that Trump had turned down the opportunity to testify.
The Maryland Democrat then outlined five questions he believed Trump's lawyers needed to answer for him, including why he didn't tell his supporters to stop the attack, why he did nothing to stop the attack for hours, why he didn't help law enforcement, why he didn't condemn the violent insurrectionists and, finally, if inciting an insurrection fits the definition of a 'high crimes and misdemeanor.'
Trump's lawyers, Bruce Castor and David Schoen, will take over the trial starting Friday.
Earlier, Raskin's central argument was that if the Senate doesn't strip away Trump's power to run for re-election, the country was due for a sequel.
'My dear colleagues, is there any political leader in this room who believes that if he is ever allowed by the Senate to get back into the Oval Office, Donald Trump would stop inciting violence to get his way?,' Raskin argued earlier Thursday.
'When you bet the lives of more police officers on it? Would you bet the safety of your family on it? Would you bet the future of your democracy on that? President Trump declared his conduct totally appropriate. So, he gets back into office, and it happens again, we will have no one to blame but ourselves,' he concluded.
If Trump is found guilty, he would be barred from ever holding public office again. He is expected to be acquitted.
Democrats argued Thursday that Trump has lit the fuse on violence for years.
'January 6th was a culmination of the president's actions, not an aberration from them. The insurrection was the most violent and dangerous episode so far in Donald Trump's continuing pattern and practice of inciting violence,' Raskin said.
'Trump knew exactly what he was doing and inciting the January 6 mob. Exactly,' he noted. 'He had just seen how easily his words and actions inspire violence in Michigan. He sent a clear message to his supporters. He encouraged planning and conspiracies to take over capitol buildings on threaten public officials who refused to bow down to his political will.'
Democrats argued Trump has lit the fuse on violence for years: 'January 6th was a culmination of the president's actions, not an aberration from them,' Lead House Impeachment manager Jamie Raskin said
Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette showed January 6th from the rioters' point of view, arguing they believed they were acting at Trump's orders and would not be punished
House Democrats show the administration officials who resigned after Trump's lack of response to the January 6th riot, including then-Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, the wife of Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell
The trial could wrap as early as Saturday since Trump's team isn't expected to take its full two days to defend the former president.
'Hope not,' Trump attorney David Schoen told reporters on Capitol Hill about using the full 16 hours allotted to them. Several senators predicted the trial would wrap up on Saturday or possibly Sunday at the latest.
'We're hoping the thing concludes by Saturday,' Republican Senator John Cornyn said.
Democrats spent a large chunk of day two of their arguments to showcase Trump's history of endorsing violence.
'When President Trump's watch, white supremacist extremist groups had spread like wildfire wild fire over the land,' Raskin said.
He showed several clips of Trump's praising his supporters who dragged protesters out of his campaign rallies and failing to condemn the white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.
'Ever since he became president, Trump revealed what he thought of political violence for his side, he praised it and he encouraged it,' Raskin said.
