Senate trial: impeachment officials should close their case against Trump



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Never-before seen footage from Capitol Hill security camera forced senators to relive the heartbreaking attack and face chilling new details about the incredibly grave threat to everyone on Capitol Hill, including lawmakers.

Republican Senator Mike Braun of Indiana called the video “fascinating,” saying, “It’s just as difficult to take now as it was then.”

When asked if Wednesday’s presentation would have an impact on how he votes, Braun replied, “No, because I’ve seen, I think, the gist,” adding: “I think ‘It’s good to take a look at it, but I’m sure it’s going to make a difference for any senator by putting it on loop again. ”

Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa said: “It’s a little hard to describe” the videos being shown in the Senate Chamber, calling it a “horrible situation.” But when asked if that would have an effect on his vote, he replied, “Look, you have to weigh all the information together.”

In addition to showing the video footage, leaders spent much of the first day arguing that Trump had embarked on a month-long campaign of lies to his supporters that the election was stolen. provoking their fury at the false belief that the results were fraudulent and prompted them to violently disrupt the peaceful transfer of power.

5 takeaways from day 2 of Donald Trump's impeachment trial

“Donald Trump has committed a massive crime against our Constitution and our people and the worst violation of the presidential oath,” said Representative Jamie Raskin, the main impeachment official. “He must be condemned by the US Senate.”

Once managers finish their presentation on Thursday, the former president’s legal team can begin his rebuttal.

Trump’s attorneys Bruce Castor and David Schoen will have up to 4 p.m. over two days to present a more detailed case against the impeachment charge starting Friday, although they aren’t supposed to use up all that time.

Castor on Wednesday played down the importance of the video footage for the trial, saying House officials failed to link the rioters’ actions to the former president.

“I didn’t learn anything that I didn’t already know. We do know that a crowd has reached the Capitol and wreaked havoc on the building. I’m waiting for them to link that to President Trump and so far, that didn’t happen., “he said.

When asked if he was concerned that the video would have an emotional impact on the jury, he said: “It would have an emotional impact on any jury. But there are two sides of the coin and we don’t. haven’t played ours. “

Trump’s legal team has so far argued that leaders were ignoring Trump’s comments on January 6 that the protests should be peaceful, while claiming that his call for supporters to fight was figurative political discourse protected by the first amendment.

After the Trump team’s conclusion, the Senate will have up to four hours to pose written questions to the legal teams, and then House directors could call for a vote on hearing witnesses. But it’s not yet clear whether they plan to do so.

CNN’s Ted Barrett contributed to this report.

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