Impeachment Trial Video Shows Trump Egging On The Mob As They March To The Capitol

Photo via @joshscampbell/Twitter

February 9, 2021, 12:44 pm

The historic second impeachment trial for Donald Trump got off to a dramatic start with House managers presenting a video montage of the events on January 6 as evidence. It starts with Trump’s speech telling his crowd of supporters that he would march with them to the Capitol (he didn’t) and encouraging them to “fight like hell” as some began to march toward the campus before he was finished speaking.

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Disturbing footage shows how an aggressive crowd breached multiple barriers on their way to the Capitol as scant numbers of D.C. cops retreat ahead of people calling them “traitors.” As they continue their advance, Trump ends his speech by sending the rest of the crowd after them, resulting in a huge surge of people hitting the already-weakened defenses around the targeted building.

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The video includes footage of Ashli Babbitt getting shot by a D.C. police officer.

House impeachment managers introduce video evidence as part of their case against Donald Trump, depicting one of the darkest days in American history. pic.twitter.com/7G2Jf1PEnQ

— Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) February 9, 2021

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The video also shows just how close the rioters were to coming face-to-face with congress, with only a single door and a few cops between them and a crowd of evacuating senators. It’s possible that the shooting of Babbitt in that moment was the only thing that delayed the mob enough to stop what could have been a horrifying confrontation. In another room, House members are shown huddling on the floor in the balcony of the chambers as aides whisper at them to stay down.

Trump’s impeachment lawyers say he only “used the word ‘fight’ a little more than a handful of times and each time in the figurative sense” during his January 6 speech.

He used the words “fight” or “fighting” 20 times: pic.twitter.com/hdKQCnjotL

— Alli Hedges Maser (@AllisonLHedges) February 9, 2021

After the intense 10-minute montage, congress began to argue over whether an impeachment trial of a former president is constitutional, but people are having a hard time moving on from that video. Clips included people shouting “traitor Pence” and someone roaring “where the f— are they” as they break into the Senate chambers.

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The Impeachment Managers’ video evidence includes a rioter shouting, “where the fuck are they.”

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 9, 2021

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Watching the impeachment managers’ video of the MAGA Mob, it’s hard not to see just how close we came to a much higher body count.

— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) February 9, 2021

We’ve just watched the campaign commercial for EVERY SINGLE REPUBLICAN DISTRICT in the 2022 mid-terms. That video, with the Republican official voting “No” on impeachment. That’s it. That’s the commercial. #impeachment

— Dr. Jason Johnson (@DrJasonJohnson) February 9, 2021

The video was presented by lead House impeachment manager Rep. Jamie Raskin, who held back with his opening arguments about as much as he did with his video.

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“Their argument is that if you commit an impeachable offense in your last few weeks in office, you do it with constitutional impunity,” he said of the Republicans against convicting Trump.

His first comment after the video ended was equally devastating: “If that’s not an impeachable offense, then there is no such thing.”

To the surprise of no one, Trump critics overwhelmingly agree.

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This is the House Impeachment Managers opening video. It shows so, so much more than what we saw on television on January 6th. These rioters were seditious and out for blood. It is damning. It is shameful. It should be required viewing for every American. https://t.co/2VpVAXIxJZ

— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) February 9, 2021

Very smart of impeachment managers to start the constitutional jurisdictional argument today with a powerful video about the facts, reminding everyone why we are here and why this is so important.

— Daniel Goldman (@danielsgoldman) February 9, 2021

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Starting with this insurrection video right at the top of the #ImpeachmentTrial was a smart move. The impeachment managers know exactly what they’re doing.

— Ahmed Baba (@AhmedBaba_) February 9, 2021

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*First Published: February 9, 2021, 12:44 pm