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House Managers, Trump’s Defense Make Closing Arguments

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02.13.21 | 5:18 pm
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 12: Michael van der Veen, former President Donald Trump's defense la... WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 12: Michael van der Veen, former President Donald Trump's defense lawyer, walks from the Senate floor through the Senate Reception room on the fourth day of the second impeachment trial of Trump at the U.S. Capitol on February 12, 2021 in Washington, DC. Trump's defense team presented the defense that Trump should not be held responsible for the January 6th attack at the U.S. Capitol on first amendment grounds and the fact that he is no longer in office. (Photo by Jabin Botsford - Pool/Getty Images) MORE LESS

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What To Expect Saturday

  • The Senate organizing resolution for the trial provides for two hours to debate over the consideration of subpoenas for any witnesses or documentary evidence.
  • If the Senate decides against witnesses, they will proceed to a vote on admitting trial evidence into the record.
  • The trial will end with four hours of closing arguments, evenly split between the sides, followed by a vote on the impeachment article against Trump.

The fifth day of former President Trump’s impeachment trial will open this morning with the question of witnesses and new evidence.

Overnight, new details emerged about what the then-president was up to while the insurrection was underway, with Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) recounting an episode in which Trump expressed sympathy for the rioters during a shouted call with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

If senators choose not to call witnesses, House impeachment managers and the former-president’s defense team will proceed to their closing arguments.

Follow along below.

Zoe Richards is a TPM newswriter based in New York. Previously, she reported on local politics in Kampala, Uganda, wrote about sustainability from a think-tank in Paris, France, and has pursued documentary and broadcast news projects closer to home. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.
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Notable Replies

  1. Sounds like Qevin McCarthy needs to man up and testify about his January 6th phone call with T****.

  2. I wonder if anyone will mention that Schoen has quit the Trump team and left it to the ambulance chaser and the guy with advanced dementia?

  3. we therefore lack jurisdiction.

    Funny that’s not how I remember the vote going.

  4. Avatar for pine pine says:

    “If senators choose not to call witnesses,”

    Decisions,decisions,decisions.I guess they(Senators) never thought especially the GOP would be called out again,.

  5. “Some people just like being evil”

    Lee Papa
    Rude Pundit

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

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