Democrats examined a shocking 10-minute batch of attacks on the U.S. Capitol to open the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump, and it was broadcast inside the Senate hall that was attacked just a month ago.
Watch the 100 Senators from their offices as the montage of the January 6 Uprising follows the opening statement of Democratic Accountability Director Jimmy Raskin.
Democratic Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey put his hands on his eyes while photographing a Capitol police officer shooting through House doors as a mob knocked at the entrance, according to him. Politico Andrew Desiderio Reporter.
Democratic Senator Joe Mansheen of West Virginia reportedly shook his head during a video of President Trump telling his supporters “We love you” as the revolt was underway.
Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who is among the only senators not to wear masks during the proceedings, did not appear to see the video as he wrote in a notebook.
The video began with a gathering that the former president organized on January 6 to ask his supporters to “fight like hell.”
He said, “And if you don’t fight like hell, we won’t have a country anymore.”
His statements were interspersed with rallies of his supporters on the Capitol building, where a joint session of Congress was held inside with Vice President Mike Pence to ratify the results of the 2020 elections.
The video tape showed supporters of the former president chanting “Stop theft” and “Pence the traitor,” accusing the officers guarding the doors of treason, smashing windows and doors, storming through MPs’ offices and attacking the police.
Trump was tried last month in the House of Representatives for inciting the revolt after his comments and months-long campaign to undermine election results with false allegations of election fraud, baseless conspiracy theories and bogus legal challenges.
“Have you asked what is the major crime and misdemeanor in our constitution?” Congressman Raskin said on Tuesday after the video. “This is a major crime and misdemeanor … if this is not an impeachable crime, then there is no such thing.”