Donald Trump was 'singularly responsible for capitol riot': Impeachment mangers

Donald Trump was “singularly responsible” for the deadly US Capitol riot on January 6, lawmakers leading his impeachment trial said adding that his acquittal could damage American democracy. Trump, whose video message allegedly exhorted a mob to storm into the Capitol complex, is due for a Senate trial starting February 8. Last month, the House impeached Trump making him the first leader in US History to be impeached twice.

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'grievous betrayal of his oath'

In a pre-trial briefing on February 2, the House impeachment managers, all Democrats, made their case for the Senate to convict Trump, saying the American people should be protected "against a president who provokes violence to subvert our democracy." Doubling down on their stance, they said that Trump’s speech which he made from the National Mall drove the crowd in “frenzy.” Led by Congressman Jamie Raskin, they asserted the former president was “singularly responsible for the violence and destruction" during the riot that left five people dead.

"In a grievous betrayal of his oath of office, President Trump incited a violent mob to attack the United States Capitol. If provoking an insurrectionary riot against a joint session of Congress after losing an election is not an impeachable offence, it is hard to imagine what would be," argued the lawmakers in their 77-page document.

The nine Democrats also warned that a failure to convict Trump would embolden future leaders to attempt similar measures to retain power and “would suggest that there is no line a president cannot cross." American’s declared their preference for Joe Biden by voting for him in November polls, but Trump denied the results alleging “voter frauds”. Not only did he refuse to concede but also filed over 50 lawsuits asking for recounts in many states. It was a video message that he posted on Twitter asking his followers to march on Congress and fight like hell that eventually inspired the failed coup.

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