Trump's defense calls for acquittal
An "unfair" trial, an act of "political revenge": Donald Trump's lawyers on Friday demanded the acquittal of the former president, calling his referral to the United States Senate for "incitement to" absurd. insurrection ”at the Capitol.
The pace picked up on the fourth day of this historic trial, which could end as early as Saturday: after two days devoted to the indictment, the defense completed in three hours a muscular and very political argument.
"Let’s be clear, this trial is not just about Donald Trump: it aims to silence and ban speeches that the majority do not like," said Bruce Castor. Democratic prosecutors, who are calling for the former president to be ineligible, just want "to eliminate an opponent," he added.
Donald Trump is notably reproached for having launched "Fight like devils" to his supporters, just before they launched the attack on the seat of Congress on January 6, when elected officials certified victory of Joe Biden in the presidential election.
Using the same weapons as Democratic prosecutors, his lawyers released numerous videos, carefully edited, to remind people that his opponents themselves frequently gave heated speeches.
Denouncing the "hypocrisy" of the prosecution, they notably screened a film of ten minutes, in which all the figures of the Democratic Party promise to "fight", according to excerpts played and replayed until creating a feeling dizzy.
WATCH: President Trump's Attorney David Schoen plays video montage of Democrats saying the word "fight."
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 12, 2021
Once it concludes: "You didn't do anything wrong. It's a word people use, but please stop the hypocrisy."
Full #ImpeachmentTrial video here: https://t.co/K1c6PWPhtD pic.twitter.com/QXxF8eapH6
This term is part of "ordinary political rhetoric", assured Michael van der Veen. It has "become excessive," but it is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution which guarantees freedom of expression, the lawyer continued.
"Impatient"
Donald Trump is not attending this trial, the outcome of which seems decided in advance. It is indeed unlikely that 17 Republican senators will join the 50 Democratic senators to form the qualified majority necessary for his conviction.
He is "very optimistic", said Thursday another of his lawyers, David Schoen.
Still, a handful of Grand Old Party officials seemed disturbed by the relentless presentation of Democratic prosecutors over the past two days.
Others applauded the defense. "They have legally crushed prosecutors" and "above all demonstrated that the First Amendment applies to political speech," said Senator Ron Johnson.
David Schoen on never-before-seen footage used by House Impeachment Managers: "Why was this footage never seen before? Shouldn't the subject of an impeachment trial, this #ImpeachmentTrial President Trump, have the right to see the so-called new evidence against him?" pic.twitter.com/0OfZoo91SE
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 12, 2021
In the morning, Joe Biden, who has spent more than 35 years on the benches of the Upper House of Congress, said he was "impatient" to see what his Republican "friends" would do in the vote, hoping they would take "Their responsibilities".
The president, who has been on the sidelines since the start of the trial, said he would not discuss the matter with senators.
"Tragically"
In recent days, Democratic prosecutors have placed the fateful day of January 6 in the context of the "big lie" uttered according to them by Donald Trump who denounced a "stolen" election without providing any evidence, stoking the anger of his supporters .
The bloody attack did not come "in a vacuum", it was "the climax of the president's actions," said Chief Prosecutor Jamie Raskin, broadcasting several excerpts from his fiery speeches and tweets to the vitriol.
At the bar, Me David Schoen replied that the Democrats had "selected" the president's words and distorted his words. He replayed other excerpts from his January 6 speech, in which the ex-president called on his supporters to march "in a peaceful and patriotic manner" on Capitol Hill.
The president's lawyers also assured that the bloody coup on the Capitol, which sowed death and chaos within the temple of American democracy, "had been planned in advance" and therefore could not be charged to the president.
Unit
In a tense question-and-answer session, prosecutors retorted that Donald Trump had only used the term "peaceful" once in his speech, which they said was "inflammatory" in overall tone.
“Rather than yelling at us, and complaining that we haven't gathered enough facts, bring your client in and have them testify under oath!” Jamie Raskin told them.
The day ended on a note of unity, however: all senators stood applauding a Capitol Hill policeman who received a medal for his acts of bravery on the day of the attack. Without Eugene Goodman, some may not have "been able to get through this unharmed," noted Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
The trial will resume at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The parties may request the hearing of witnesses and it will be up to the senators to decide. If no new item is requested, they can go to a vote.
