Prosecutors in Donald Trump's impeachment trial unveiled chilling new security video for Senate jurors and the nation on the second day of proceedings.
The video and police audio show the mob of rioters breaking into the Capitol, smashing windows and doors and searching menacingly for Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Overwhelmed police begged on their radios for help. The House prosecutors argued that Trump was no “innocent bystander” but the “inciter in chief” of the deadly attack at the Capitol one month ago.
It's the first full day of arguments at the trial, with House prosecutors focusing on the aftermath of Trump's urging his supporters to "fight like hell” over his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.
On the emotional first day of the trial, the former president lost a key opening battle — the Senate voted that it has jurisdiction to try him even though he has left office. Trump’s trial opened in the Senate with graphic video of the deadly Jan. 6 attack on Congress. There was also video of the former president whipping up a rally crowd to march to the Capitol and “fight like hell” to overturn his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.
Democratic prosecutors argue Trump committed a “grievous constitutional crime,” but his defense team insists his fiery words at the rally were just figures of speech — and protected by the Constitution's First Amendment.
The next two days of arguments from House impeachment managers will try to convince skeptical Republican senators that the former president alone was responsible for inciting the mob of supporters who broke into the U.S. Capitol.
Trump is said to be fuming over his lawyers’ performance, and his allies are questioning the defense strategy.
