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The second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump will proceed. After the arguments were made about the trial’s Constitutionality, the Senate vote narrowly passed with a 56 to 44 margin, on Feb. 9, 2021.
On the first day, the House managers and Trump’s legal team presented their cases to determine if impeaching a non-sitting president held any weight.
House Impeachment Managers Present Highly Charged Opening
Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the lead manager presented an emotional argument in support of finding Trump guilty of inciting the January 6 insurrection on the Capitol. On this first day, their objective was to sway the Republicans who previously voted that the impeachment was not Constitutional. Raskin explained:
I have faith that 100 senators are going to do their jobs as jurors sworn to render impartial justice.
Even though many onlookers claim the outcome of the trial will result in acquittal, the Democrats are determined to make their impeachment case.
They presented a 13-minute-24-second video montage of the masses breaching the Capitol after then-President Trump sent them on their way. The hard-to-watch video evoked the anguish and terror of that horrible day.
Raskin recalled his family’s presence at the Capitol on that hateful day. He choked up when talking about his daughter’s response after that day. She told him she did not want to return.
Others presented their memories and fears of the day. Their case seems to be built on moving the hearts, minds, and consciousness. Democrats hope their argument will prevail.
Trump’s Impeachment Trial Lawyers Flounder Trying to Prove Case Unconstitutional
Bruce Castor Jr. and David Schoen presented their agenda to prove the second impeachment against the former president was unconstitutional.
Castor was first up for the team. He was long-winded and rambled. The Washington Post described his presentation as not “going anywhere, except to hand off the argument to co-counsel Schoen.”
After listening to him ramble about vinyl records, judicial temperament, and overly long-winded. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she was perplexed after listening to Castor.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) agreed with Collins’ assessment, stating she was “Really stunned. I could not figure out where he was going.”
“Where Castor was whimsical and digressive, Shoen was peevish and outraged,” reports The Washington Post. His bravado was lost when he became emotional over reading Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s ode to faith overcoming fear.
At the end of the day, the Senate jurors cast their votes about the constitutionality of the impeachment trial. Only one Republican changed their initial vote from unconstitutional.
The second day of Trump’s second impeachment trial will resume on February 10. Democrats will present their case in hopes of swaying the minds of at least 11 Republican senators needed to convict the former president.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
CNN: House managers to make a visceral case against Trump on Wednesday; by Jeremy Herb, Manu Raju, and Lauren Fox
Reuters: Senators vote to proceed with Trump’s impeachment trial, but conviction may prove elusive; by David Morgan and Richard Cowan
The Washington Post: Day 1 of Impeachment 2: Tears, fears and seasick poetry; by Dan Zak
The Washington Post: Raskin recounts his family’s terror on Jan. 6: ‘I don’t want to come back to the Capitol;’ by Meagan Flynn
The Roll: House impeachment managers mount long-shot bid for Trump conviction; by Lindsey McPherson
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Victoria Pickering’s Flickr Page -Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Master Steve Rapport’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
