The House impeachment managers are laying out their case against former president Donald Trump. Today the nine Democrats filed their Trial Memorandum of the United States House of Representatives in the Impeachment Trial of President Donald J. Trump. The Speaker’s office released a statement saying:
The brief lays out the case for the conviction of former President Donald J. Trump for “incitement of insurrection against the Republic he swore to protect.” As directed by the Senate, the memorandum also describes the Senate’s obligation to hear this case, affirming that “[t]he Constitution governs the first day of the President’s term, the last day, and every moment in between.”
Part of the brief reads:
“President Trump’s conduct must be declared unacceptable in the clearest and most unequivocal terms. This is not a partisan matter. His actions directly threatened the very foundation on which all other political debates and disagreements unfold.”
Another passage connects Trump directly to the deaths linked to the siege:
“As will be shown at trial, President Trump endangered our Republic and inflicted deep and lasting wounds on our Nation. His conduct resulted in more than five deaths and many more injuries. The Capitol was defiled. The line of succession was imperiled. America’s global reputation
was damaged. For the first time in history, the transfer of presidential power was interrupted. And the threat of violence remains with us: as President Biden was inaugurated and even now, the Capitol more closely resembles an armed camp than the seat of American democracy.”
The brief also lays out why Trump can and should be tried, even though he is no longer president.
To protect our democracy and national security—and to deter any future
President who would consider provoking violence in pursuit of power—the Senate should convict President Trump and disqualify him from future federal officeholding.
The Senate trial is scheduled to start a week from today, on February 9th.
