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Trump impeachment: showdown today? Lawyer speaks of "monstrous lies" - and does not want to admit deselection

2021-02-13T14:31:45.699Z


On the sidelines of the impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump, it became clear how brutal the Capitol rioters were. The closing arguments could come this Saturday.


On the sidelines of the impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump, it became clear how brutal the Capitol rioters were.

The closing arguments could come this Saturday.

  • The second impeachment proceedings are ongoing against Donald Trump.

    Is the ex-president responsible for storming the Capitol?

  • In the run-up to the vote, a meeting of Trump lawyers with actually impartial senators caused a sensation (

    see update from February 12, 3 p.m.

    ).

  • The impeachment will continue on this Saturday

    (see update from February 13, 8:36 a.m.)

    .

  • This news ticker is updated regularly.

Update from February 13,

8:36 a.m.: It could be the final spurt in the impeachment proceedings for Donald Trump.

The deliberations in the US Senate are to continue today at 4 p.m. Central European time.

Trump's defenders, however, strike a sharp tone: his lawyer Michael van der Veen spoke of "absurd and monstrous lies".

As president, Trump has always campaigned for “law and order”.

They ended their remarks on the defense of the ex-head of state on Friday after just three hours - they would have been allowed 16 hours.

The three lawyers (Van der Veen, David Schoen and Bruce Castor) rejected the accusation of "inciting a riot".

Senate impeachment proceedings: "The Democrats hate Trump"

The then president was not responsible for the violent storming of the Capitol by radical Trump supporters.

His statements are also covered by freedom of speech.

The lawyers accused the prosecutors of a politically motivated trial against the Republican.

It was "clear" that the Democrats "hate" Trump, argued Van der Veen.

In addition, Van der Veen refused to admit Trump's election defeat when asked - the question was "irrelevant" to the process, he said.

Trump has not yet admitted defeat in the November 3 presidential election.

Trump impeachment: Conviction of the ex-president is unlikely

Should the senators decide against hearing witnesses this Saturday, as expected, the defense and prosecution would each have two hours for closing arguments.

The Senate could then vote on Trump's impeachment.

So far it looks like an acquittal for the Republican Trump: For a conviction, 17 Republicans would have to join the 50 Democrats in the Senate, which is currently not foreseeable.

An end to the proceedings on Saturday - after only five days - is not set in stone;

a wish of the majority for a hearing of witnesses or other procedural questions could prevent this.

+

Donald Trump at the G7 summit 2019

© Sammy Minkoff / imago-images

Trump "for law and order"?

Lawyers show Madonna video twice - showdown is approaching

Update from February 12, 10:10 p.m.:

In the impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump, the ex-president's defense lawyers rejected the accusations of the prosecutors.

It is an unjust, unconstitutional and politically motivated process, said lawyer Michael van der Veen on Friday.

In addition, Trump did not call for violence in his speech immediately before his supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6th.

The Democrats' claims that the Republican incited protesters were "absurd and monstrous lies," said the Senate attorney.

It was "clear" that the Democrats "hate" Trump, he argued.

Trump has always stood up for "law and order" as president and never called for violence, said the lawyer.

The criticized statements in his speech were "ordinary political statements" covered by the right to freedom of expression, said van der Veen.

Trying to selectively restrict freedom of expression is illegal, he said.

Trump had incited his supporters at a rally on January 6th that the election victory had been stolen from him.

Among other things, he said: "If you don't fight like the devil, you will have no more land."

Trump's attorneys had two days to respond to the arguments of the House prosecutors.

However, they finished their lecture after three hours.

Next there was four hours for questions from the senators.

This could mean that the final vote on impeachment could take place at the weekend.

So far it looks like an acquittal for the Republican Trump.

The Democrats want to lock Trump with a condemnation for future political offices at the federal level.

Trump impeachment: lawyers show Madonna twice - "All political statements should be protected"

Another defense attorney for Trump, David Schoen, accused the House of Representatives of relying on unconfirmed media reports and manipulated evidence to harm the ex-president.

Schoen criticized that the prosecutors based their presentations on Trump quotes that were deliberately taken out of context.

Surprisingly, Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) also became a topic in the Senate.

To defend Trump's January 6 call to fight, lawyers showed senators dozens of video clips from the past few years in which prominent Democrats called for Trump to "fight" and demand his impeachment.

"Fight hard for the change," said Senator Elizabeth Warren in a clip.

"I'm not afraid of a fight," said the former presidential candidate on another video.

An older video of the pop singer Madonna, who talks about blowing up the White House, showed the defenders twice to underline their argument.

"Any political statement should be protected, equally for all of us," demanded lawyer van der Veen.

Trump impeachment: next scandal about presidential lawyers?

The sensitive meeting becomes public

Update from February 12, 3 p.m.:

As the

Washington Post

reports, the three Republican Senators Lindsey O. Graham, Mike Lee and Ted Cruz met with the recently harshly criticized lawyers of the Trump team.

The three Trump allies decide in impeachment proceedings on the innocence or guilt of the former president.

In this role, they are encouraged to take an impartial position, which is why the private meeting with Trump's lawyers irritates observers.

The

Washington Post

quoted Trump's attorney David Schoen as saying that they had discussed the "modalities" of the proceedings.

It is certain that the three Republican senators will vote against the impeachment of Trump.

Impeachment: Trump lawyers have the floor - proceedings already over the weekend?

Update from February 12, 10:10 a.m.:

The prosecutors in the impeachment process fear that Donald Trump could incite further violence.

Therefore, at the end of their two-day presentation in impeachment proceedings, they urged the conviction of the ex-US president

(see first report)

.

This Friday, starting at 6 p.m. CET, Trump's defenders will have their turn to present their arguments.

On the one hand, they still consider the process to be unconstitutional, even though the majority of the Senate judged the process to be lawful.

On the other hand, with a view to Trump's rally on January 6, they refer to the right to freedom of expression.

The US broadcaster CNN reported, citing unspecified sources, that Trump's lawyers only wanted one day for their presentation.

It is expected that the proceedings will end this weekend or at the beginning of the coming week.

So far, there are many indications that in the end there will not be a two-thirds majority among the senators for a conviction.

However, new President Joe Biden said Thursday that the prosecutors' impressive speech may cause some Republicans to "change their minds".

Trump impeachment: Prosecution releases audio and video material

First report from February 11th:

Washington - These are frightening images that occurred on Epiphany in the Capitol in Washington.

Images that permanently shook the US's understanding of democracy, as observers determine.

The assault on the Congress building is now the main subject of the second impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump.

On the second day of the negotiations, the events of January 6th were dealt with intensively again.

In general, the impeachment proceedings against Trump are about the question of whether the former president incited the angry mob and planned the storm on the Capitol long in advance.

In order to underpin their argumentation, the prosecution now relied on emotional images.

Video material from January 6th was shown for hours, but in the end it was primarily an audio recording that was remembered.

+

Security forces are trying to hold back the intruders as they storm the US Capitol.

© Senate Television / AP / dpa

As reported by the

New York Times

, an audio file played by the Democrats shows that staff from Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House,

barricaded in a room in the Capitol and whispered for help.

Pelosi himself was not present because the police officers who were present took her out of the building and brought her to a “safe place”, according to statements by the Democrat Stacey Plaskett.

The rescue of Pelosis was elementary - otherwise the 80-year-old would have feared for her life.

Trump impeachment: Pelosi in mortal danger?

"Sent on this mission by Trump"

Plaskett is certain that the violent rioters would have killed Pelosi if they had found the politician.

The ex-president is responsible for this hatred.

The crowd would have done this "because Trump sent them on this mission".

As can be seen from other recordings, Pelosi was not the only person who was possibly in mortal danger on January 6th.

The prosecutors presented a video of rioters demanding the death of then Vice President Mike Pence.

The mob approached the Republican, according to the prosecution, up to 30 meters.

With the help of a Capitol policeman, Pence was ultimately protected.

He must have lured the rioters away from the part of the Capitol where Pence was hiding.

Trump impeachment: "Hang Mike Pence" - Mob wanted to "kill everyone he could get"

Videos can be heard of the violent masses "demanding the death of the Vice President of the United States," as Plaskett said.

Specifically, the crowd is said to have chanted “hang Mike Pence” and “bring us Mike Pence”.

Both Pelosi and Pence chaired the January 6 session of Congress to confirm Joe Biden's election victory.

That would have been enough to be a victim, as Plaskett explained: "President Trump has targeted them and the mob has invaded the Capitol to hunt them down."

According to statements by an FBI spokeswoman quoted in the process, a certain group of the rioters would have "wanted to kill everyone they could get."

Recordings from a police officer's body camera show the officer and his colleagues being violently attacked.

In pre-played police radio recordings, emergency services desperately request reinforcements.

Trump impeachment: Conviction of the ex-president unlikely

The question of guilt as to whether Donald Trump was responsible for storming the Capitol has not yet been clarified.

For a conviction, in addition to the Democrats in the Senate, 17 Republicans would need to vote for impeachment.

A two-thirds majority is required for the impeachment procedure.

It still does not look as if this can be achieved.

This will probably end the second impeachment proceedings against Trump with an acquittal.

A result is expected around the weekend of February 13th.

Donald Trump is the first US President to face a second impeachment trial.

In the second impeachment process, his office can only be withdrawn retrospectively.

Since the Republican is no longer the head of state of the USA, the principle is that he cannot run for the next presidential election.

(as)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-02-13

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