After what was called a “painful” verdict, House prosecutors who argued in favor of Donald Trump’s conviction of inciting the US Capitol rebellion said on Sunday that they had proved their case and criticized the Senate Republican leader and the majority from his colleagues for “trying both ways” to absolve the former president.
The day after Trump won his second Senate impeachment trial in two years, bipartisan support seemed to be growing for an independent, 9/11-style commission to make sure that such a horrific attack would never happen again.
The end of the swift trial hardly ended the debate over Trump’s guilt for the January 6 uprising, as the political, legal and emotional consequences unfolded.
Further investigations into the riot have already been planned, with Senate hearings scheduled later this month on the Senate Rules Committee. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Also asked retired Army Lieutenant General Russel Honoré to lead an immediate review of the Capitol security process.
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Lawmakers on both sides signaled on Sunday that further investigations are likely.
“There must be a thorough investigation into what happened,” said Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, one of seven Republicans who voted to condemn Trump. “What was known, who knew and when they knew, all of this, because it builds the foundation for it to never happen again. “
Cassidy said he was “trying to hold President Trump accountable” and added that, as Americans hear all the facts, “more people will move to where I was.” He was censored by his state party after the vote, which was 57-43 to condemn, but 10 votes less than the required two-thirds.
A close ally of Trump, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, said he hoped to campaign with Trump in the 2022 elections, when Republicans hope to regain a majority in Congress. But Graham acknowledged that Trump had some blame for the Capitol siege that killed five people, including a policeman, and interrupted lawmakers’ certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the White House.
“His behavior after the election was overblown,” said Graham. “We need a 9/11 commission to find out what happened and make sure it never happens again.”
The Senate acquitted Trump of an “incitement to insurrection” charge after House prosecutors exposed the case that he was a “chief instigator” who unleashed a crowd for stoking a months-long campaign of spreading unmasked conspiracy theories and rhetoric violent false that the year 2020 the election was stolen from him.
Trump’s lawyers responded that Trump’s words were not intended to incite violence and that impeachment was nothing more than a “witch hunt” designed to prevent him from serving in office again.
The conviction count was the most bipartisan in American history, but it let Trump declare victory and signal a political revival while a bitterly divided Republican Party argued about its direction and its place in the party.
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The Republicans who joined Cassidy in the vote to condemn were Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
“It is frustrating, but the founders knew what they were doing, so we live with the system we have,” said Deputy Stacey Plaskett, the district attorney representing the Virgin Islands, on the verdict, describing it as “painful”. She added: “But, listen, we didn’t need any more witnesses. We needed more senators with thorns. “
On Sunday, several House impeachment managers sharply criticized McConnell, who told Republican senators, just before the vote, that he would absolve Trump. In a forceful speech after the vote, McConnell said the president was “practically and morally responsible for causing the events of that day”, but that the Senate’s hands were tied to do anything about it because Trump was out of office. But the Senate, in a previous vote, considered the constitutional judgment.
“It was powerful to hear the 57 culprits and then it was intriguing to hear and see Mitch McConnell plead not guilty and, minutes later, get up again and say he was guilty of everything,” said Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa. “History will remember that statement of speaking from both sides of the mouth,” she said.
Senator Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Drew a direct line between former President Donald Trump’s actions and the Capitol riot, but he said the now private citizen was not eligible for sentencing. “[Trump] was practically and morally responsible for causing the day’s events, “said McConnell.” [impeachment] question is debatable because former President Trump is not constitutionally eligible for sentencing. ”
Dean supported the idea of an impartial investigation commission “not guided by politics, but full of people who would face the courage of their conviction”.
An independent 9/11 type commission, which would likely require legislation, would take the investigation a step further, offering a definitive account of events supported by the government. Pelosi expressed support for such a commission, emphasizing that the members who participate in it would be key. Still, such a panel would pose risks of sharpening party divisions or overshadowing Biden’s legislative agenda.
“There is even more evidence that the American people need and deserve to hear, and a 9/11 commission is a way to ensure that Capitol continues,” said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., And an ally of Biden. “And that we have exposed the record of how responsible and abject a violator of his constitutional oath President Trump really was.”
The House’s chief impeachment manager, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., Called the trial a “dramatic success in historical terms” by gaining unprecedented support from Republican senators. He said the verdict does not match the reality of the strength of the evidence.
In a final argument during the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., Asked senators to do “impartial justice”. “Senators, this trial is not about Donald Trump,” said Raskin. “The country and the world know who Donald Trump is. This judgment is about who we are … Good luck to the United States Senate. ”
“We successfully sued him and sentenced him to the court of public opinion and the court of history,” he said. Pointing to McConnell and other Republican senators critical of Trump, but voting for absolution, Raskin said: “They are trying both.”
Raskin and Plaskett defended the reversal of the House team at the last minute so as not to call a witness, Deputy Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash. They acknowledged that they were aware that they could lose some Republican Party votes to condemnation if they extended the trial much longer.
Beutler’s statement on Friday that Trump rejected an appeal by Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy to cancel the protesters was finally included in the trial record.
“I think what we did was get what we wanted, which was her statement, what she said, and we recorded it,” said Plaskett.
Michael van der Veen, a lawyer for former President Donald Trump, blamed the rioters for the attack on the United States Capitol. “There were no words of encouragement,” said van der Veen. “You can allow America’s healing to begin. I urge the Senate to absolve and demand the Constitution of this great republic. ”
Cassidy and Dean spoke on ABC’s “This Week”, Graham appeared on Fox News Sunday, Raskin on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and Plaskett appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union”.
Associated Press writers Alexandra Jaffe, Lisa Mascaro, Eric Tucker, Mary Clare Jalonick and Alan Fram contributed to this report.