Lawyers for former US President, Donald Trump have responded to his impeachment charges, saying supporters stormed Congress in Washington DC on 6th January “of their own accord.”
Mr Trump’s trial in the Senate is due to begin later today, February 9, after he was impeached for the second time by the House of Representatives in January.
The former President is charged with “inciting insurrection” in a speech to supporters ahead of the deadly riot. Five people, including a police officer, died when a mob of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol building, forcing politicians and staff to hide in offices
Mr Trump says he will not testify. He is the only US president in history to have been impeached twice.
In a pre-trial brief, the former President’s lawyers have argued that FBI documents had shown that the riot was planned days in advance, meaning that Mr Trump cannot have encouraged the violence. They also insist the trial is unconstitutional because Mr Trump has left office and is now a private citizen.
The lawyers additionally criticized the nine impeachment managers, Democrats from the House of Representatives who will lay out the case for prosecution. They accused them of “intellectual dishonesty and factual vacuity” in the way they portrayed Mr Trump’s address to his supporters.
The lawyers described the trial as “political theatre” and a “brazen political act” by Democrats that was intended to “silence a political opponent and a minority party”.
“This impeachment proceeding was never about seeking justice.
“Instead, this was only ever a selfish attempt by Democratic leadership in the House to prey upon the feelings of horror and confusion that fell upon all Americans across the entire political spectrum upon seeing the destruction at the Capitol on January 6 by a few hundred people.”
The Democrats say Mr Trump’s repeated refusal to concede last November’s presidential election to Joe Biden – as well as the “fiery rhetoric” he used in his address to supporters on 6 January – encouraged the riot.
Mr Trump’s lawyers argue that the former President was simply exercising his First Amendment rights to freedom of speech.
In their own response, the House impeachment managers asserted that Mr Trump had “betrayed the American people”.
“His incitement of insurrection against the United States government – which disrupted the peaceful transfer of power – is the most grievous constitutional crime ever committed by a president.”
Meanwhile, senate leaders have reached an agreement on impeachment trial rules, giving the impeachment managers and Trump’s lawyers up to 16 hours each to present their cases. The leaders have also created the option for a debate and vote to call witnesses, if the House impeachment managers seek it.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that the trial rules had been agreed to by Senate Republicans and Democrats, as well as the House managers and Trump’s legal team.
“The structure we have agreed to is eminently fair. It will allow for the trial to achieve its purpose: truth and accountability.”
Sen.Chuck Schumer
