House Democrats wrap up case against former president
Impeachment managers warn more violence could be incited without conviction - NBC's Alice Barr reports
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KYMA, KECY) - In their final arguments, house managers Thursday accused former President Donald Trump of condoning violence among his supporters. They also asserted the Capitol rioters believed they were following his order.
They rested their impeachment case with an urgent plea to convict, and a dire warning.
"If we let it go unanswered - who's to say it won't happen again?" said Rep. Joe Neguse, (D-Co.).
They accuse the former president of doing repeated, and lasting damage, to American democracy.
"The insurrection was the most violent and dangerous episode - so far - in Donald Trump's continuing pattern and practice of inciting violence." said Rep. Jamie Raskin, (D-Md.), the lead impeachment manager.
The evidence Thursday focused on the rioters' own words.
"We were invited by the President of the United States!"
House manager sought to cement their case that the violent mob was acting at the former president's direction.
"They truly believed that the whole intrusion was at the President's orders -and we know this because they said so." said Rep. Diane DeGette, (D-Co.).
"Fight for Trump! Fight for Trump!"
"We are listening to Trump, your boss!"
"I thought I was following my President I thought I was following what we were called to do"
House prosecutors tried to establish a pattern, calling the spring 2020 storming of the Michigan State Capitol a dress rehearsal for what happened months later in Washington.
"He had just seen how easily his words and actions inspired violence in Michigan." said Rep. Raskin.
House managers laid out a series of instances dating back to the deadly clash in Charlottesville in 2017. In each case, they say, the former president fired up his followers, and refused to condemn them, or take responsibility, afterwards.
Wrapping up their arguments, the impeachment managers aimed to draw an indelible line between Trump's words and actions, and the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The Trump legal team begins its defense Friday with the core argument that the former president was exercising free speech, and he never explicitly called for violence.
