Representative Eric Swalwell, who will help prosecute former President Trump for “inciting insurrection,” said House impeachment managers are prepared to call witnesses at the Senate trial.
“If the Senate allows witnesses, we will be ready with witnesses,” Swalwell, D-Calif., Told MSNBC on Saturday morning.
MSNBC host Tiffany Cross told Swalwell that she would like to see Trump’s inner circle called to testify before the Senate trial about his speeches at the “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6 that precipitated the Capitol riot, including Trump’s eldest son Don Jr. and Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani.
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Swalwell did not specifically say whether Trump confidants would be called, but suggested that the list of witnesses could be far-reaching because many people were impacted when a pro-Trump crowd invaded the Capitol, leaving five dead, including Capitol policeman Brian Sicknick .
Impeachment manager, Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., Walks over Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, January 13, 2021. (AP Photo / Susan Walsh)
“It’s not just the people who knew what the president knew,” said Swalwell. “The American people saw the policemen beaten, spit and trampled – 50 of them injured and almost 20 hospitalized, one of them dead. The cafeteria workers who also fled for their lives. There are many witnesses to this crime. “
Swalwell said that this trial would be different from Trump’s impeachment a year ago for requesting foreign intervention from Ukraine in the 2020 presidential elections. This is because senators are not only jurors, but also witnesses to the insurrection that “rushed to save their lives. “, he said.
Witnesses were not allowed by the then Republican-controlled Senate in the previous impeachment trial.
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House impeachment administrators will frame the riot as a premeditated attack orchestrated by Trump, Swalwell said.
“This was not a passionate passionate crime. It did not happen spontaneously with words just escaping Donald Trump’s mouth at that rally. For months, he propagated this big lie to radicalize these terrorists [and] call … the ordeal to Washington, and he called it “stop the theft,” “said Swalwell.
“And if you are not an elected representative, the only way to prevent theft is to do a physical act. He told them: don’t show weakness, you will lose your country if you don’t fight.” Swalwell continued.
“And then, most importantly, for two hours they attacked the Capitol and the president said nothing.”
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The impeachment process will formally move from the House to the Senate on Monday night. Swalwell is one of nine impeachment managers, led by Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland. They are accompanied by representatives Diana DeGette from Colorado, David Cicilline from Rhode Island, Joaquin Castro from Texas, Ted Lieu from California, Stacey Plaskett from the Virgin Islands, Madeleine Dean from Pennsylvania and Joe Neguse from Colorado.
The trial is due to start on February 9, so Trump will have time to prepare his legal defense. Trump was impeached in the House for “inciting insurrection” a week after protesters invaded the Capitol in an attempt to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden as president.
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Republicans are divided over whether Trump is responsible for the insurrection. To condemn the former president, 17 Republican senators would have to join all Democrats in the Senate for an absolute majority vote.
Since Trump’s term ended, the biggest penalty he faces is being prevented from running again.