Currents News Staff
“Stop the steal” — the chant frequently heard in the impeachment trial against former president Donald Trump.
House impeachment managers are arguing that Trump engaged in a months-long campaign to falsely convince his supporters the election was stolen, incited the attack on the Capitol and violently disrupted the peaceful transfer of power.
The case against him now proceeds in the impeachment court of the Senate
“Donald Trump surrendered his role as commander in chief and became the inciter in chief of a dangerous insurrection,” said Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin, lead impeachment manager.
House managers, acting as prosecutors used then-president Trump’s own words both before the election and after, along with footage from the attack on the Capitol as evidence Trump committed an impeachable offense, inciting an insurrection
“He told them to fight like hell, and they brought us hell that day,” said Raskin.
“He alone, our commander in chief, had the power to stop it. And he didn’t,” said Democratic Representative Joe Neguse, impeachment manager.
Senators, serving as jurors, were forced to relive the siege when many hid in fear for their lives.
“The harm was real. The damage was real,” said Neguse.
Former president Trump’s defense team will make their case later this week.
But, it’s likely Trump will be acquitted, especially since only six Republicans voted to support the constitutionality of the case — far short of the 17 GOP senators Democrats need to convict the former president.
“I think that pretty well fixes in place what you might see as the eventual outcome,” said Republican Senator Mike Braun of Indiana.