Former President Donald Trump's historic second impeachment trial ended with a 57-43 vote to acquit in the Senate. He faced a single charge of incitement of insurrection over his actions leading up to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Lead Impeachment Manager Rep. Jamie Raskin speaks on the third day of former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial at the U.S. Capitol, Feb. 11, 2021, in Washington, DC.
Senate TV via Getty Images
Raskin asserted that the protest at the Michigan state capitol was a "dress rehearsal" for the Jan 6 riot.
"The siege of the Michigan State House was effectively a state-level dress rehearsal for the siege of the U.S. Capitol that Trump incited on January 6th," Raskin said. "It was a preview of the coming insurrection."
Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif. began speaking after Raskin about Trump's lack of remorse.
Feb 11, 2021, 12:57 PM EST
DeGette cites analysis that found 'civil war' mentions quadrupled on Parler
House impeachment manager Rep. Diana DeGette cited an analysis that found mentions of "civil war" quadrupled on Parler in the hour after Donald Trump said "show strength."
"We also have another perspective from this moment: online extremist chatter. At the same time as the people in the crowd shouted, 'Take the Capitol building,' as President Trump said, 'show strength,' a person posted to Parler saying, 'time to fight, civil war is upon us,'" Degette said. "Another user said, 'we're going to have the civil war. Get ready.'" An analysis found members of civil war crime quadrupled on Parler in the hour after Donald Trump said, 'show strength.' When insurrectionists got to the Capitol, they continued those rally cries."
Feb 11, 2021, 12:48 PM EST
Rioter left threatening note for Pence: 'Justice is coming'
House impeachment manager Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., also disclosed that one notable protester, Jacob Anthony Angeli Chansley, who stormed the Capitol while donning face paint, no shirt and a furry hat with horns, left a threatening note to Vice President Mike Pence.
"Chansley left a threatening note for Vice President Pence right there on the Senate dais. It read, quote, 'it's only a matter of time. Justice is coming,'" DeGette said.
Managers on Wednesday used never-before-seen Capitol security footage to show Pence and his family fleeing the Senate chamber at 2:26 p.m. on Jan. 6. Trump, meanwhile at the White House, posted an attack on Pence to Twitter just two minutes earlier at 2:24 p.m.
President Donald Trump's tweet attacking Mike Pence was referenced during Impeachment hearings in Washington, Feb. 10, 2021.
Twitter
They also presented video of Chansley telling a reporter it was time to go home from the Capitol only once Trump put out a pre-recorded video asking them to -- over three-and-a-half hours after the attack began.
"Have you noticed throughout this presentation the uncanny similarity over and over and over again of what all these people are saying?" DeGette asked the chamber. "They said what Donald Trump said, and that echoed each other. 'Stand back and standby.' 'Stop the steal.' 'Fight like hell.' 'Trump sent us.' 'We are listening to Trump.'"
Feb 11, 2021, 12:46 PM EST
Raskin says Jan. 6 riots were 'culmination' of Trump's incitement of violence
Lead House manager, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said that the violent riot on Jan. 6 was a "culmination" of incitement to violence from Trump. He played a series of video clips from over several years, which Raskin said showed Trump urging violence.
"This pro-Trump insurrection did not spring into life out of thin air. We saw how Trump spent months cultivating America's most dangerous extremist groups," Raskin said. "We saw how he riled them up with corrosive lies and violent rhetoric, so much so that they were ready and eager for their most dangerous mission, invalidating the will of the people to keep Donald Trump in office."
Raskin cited the increase in hate groups and heightened threat from domestic terror, saying that Trump incited the anger of these groups for "his own political gain." The House managers also played footage from the Charlottesville, Virginia, "Unite the Right" rally which led to the death of one woman.
"These tactics were road tested. January 6th was a culmination of the president's actions, not an aberration from them," Raskin said. "The insurrection was the most violent and dangerous episode so far in Donald Trump's continuing pattern and practice of inciting violence -- but I emphasize 'so far.'"