The second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump is an unconstitutional act of “political theater” by Democrats, which has overlooked key facts in the Capitol Riot decision, his lawyers argued in a lengthy, written defense on Monday.
The 75-page trial memo states that Trump’s accusations of “inciting rebellion” stemmed from words he spoke to his supporters before he walked into congressional halls – as well as evidence showing the attack Were actually pre-planned.
“An excuse could be made to think that Democrats’ disgust with Citizen Trump and his’ Trump Derangement Syndrome ‘would have been broken so far, given that he is no longer President, and yet in a year For the second time, the United States Senate is preparing to sit as a court of impeachment, but this time a private citizen who is a former president has been written by his lawyers.
With the lawsuit starting Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers accused Democrats of “trying to devise a mechanism by which they could silence a political opponent and a minority party,” and he asked the Senate Urged that they “reject this political political action.”
In the new filing, attorneys Bruce Castor, David Scone and Michael Van der Veen said, “The real truth is that people who committed crimes to the Capitol did so for their own reasons and for their own reasons.”
During a Monday morning news conference in Queens, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said both sides were “finalizing a resolution … that would ensure a fair, honest, bipartisan Senate impeachment trial.”
“Truth and accountability are necessary,” Schumer said.
“Some people say, ‘Oh, let it go away.” Oh no. Something as terrible, as frightening [as what] Happened on January 6, you cannot sweep it under the rug. You must have all the truth revealed, and then accountability once the truth is revealed. This is what we aim to do in this test. “
Schumer also said that “each party would have ample time to make arguments” and that there would be “one vote” if House managers wanted to present testimony from witnesses. “They weren’t sure they wanted a witness. They wanted to preserve the option. That’s just what we do,” he said.
Trump’s defense would argue that the test is unconstitutional and a careful analysis of Trump’s words in pre-riot speech and then misinterpret them.
“Mr. Trump concludes his speech on Ellipse’s stage ‘[s]O walk down Pennsylvania Avenue. I want to thank all of you. God bless you and God bless America. Thank you all for coming here, it is incredible. Thanks a lot. Thank you, ‘the filing states.
“Despite the allegations of House managers against Mr. Trump, his statements cannot be interpreted as a call for immediate violence or violent excesses of the United States government.”
During his speech, Trump told supporters that he was tricked out of re-election and urged supporters to “fight like hell” to persuade legislators to invalidate voters from swing states Can go Skirmishes began near the Capitol before the speech ended.
Five people died after Trump supporters smashed the Capitol Building and disrupted the certification of President Biden’s victory.
The filing suggests that the timeline of Trump’s words will receive intense attention, including rioting by the rioters in the building. Democrats and some Republicans say Trump took too long to demand on Twitter that the siege be ended.
Trump’s lawyers wrote: “The House managers suggest that President Trump has not taken enough action to calm the rapid violence. Listening to news of the violence, he tweeted, appealing to the crowd to be ‘peaceful’ While urging people to ‘go home’ and ‘peace’ after a tweeted video.
According to the video analysis, the first breach of the building occurred at 2:12 pm on 6 January. Trump’s initial post-breaking tweet said at 2:38 pm, “Please support our Capitol Police and law enforcement. They are truly on our nation’s side. Stay calm!”
Trump’s legal team also argues that amending Trump’s right to first speech triggers a lawsuit violation and the proceedings violate the Constitution because Trump is now a former president.
And the lawyer addresses a controversy by Democrats that a trial under the 1876 precedent is permissible. The House impeached and the Senate tried William Belknap, a former cabinet member, to receive bribes as Secretary of War.
Trump’s lawyer writes, “While historical accounts suggest that some senators believed Belkanup was innocent, the majority of those who voted to acquit him did so because they did not think the Senate had Jurisdiction was to convict someone who was no longer in office. “
It is unlikely that 17 Senate Republicans will necessarily vote to convict. Although Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Said the rioters were “incited by the president” and is open to the faith, he joined 45 Republicans out of 50 who did not allow the trial Vote because it is allegedly unconstitutional.
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