There is only one right answer when it comes to Donald Trump's impeachment trial and that is to convict him. He willfully staged and incited a deadly domestic terrorist insurrection at The Capitol on the day and time that the electoral college win confirmation for Joe Biden. This was a direct intent to obstruct justice and impede and overturn the final step in a free and fair Presidential election.
As President of the United States, Trump took an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. He clearly did not do that on January 6th, 2021. Instead he acted in opposition to the United States Constitution by willfully staging and inciting a deadly insurrection at The Capitol. How did he do this?
Trump spread multiple lies, propaganda, and misinformation with respect to a proven free and fair presidential election. He told his loyal followers time and again that the election was unfair even though 86 lawsuits proved the election fair. Trump coined his misinformation campaign, "Stop the Steal," inferring that Joe Biden had stolen the win. Many of Trump's loyal followers believed him.
Then to further stage the insurrection, Trump not only spread the "Stop the Steal" bogus election fraud propaganda, but he and his cronies also planned an event paid for by his campaign funds at the Elipse to be held on the day and time that the electoral college vote was to be confirmed at the Capitol. Publicity for the event rang through Trump fanpaths via social media including Trump's twitter account and other channels funded by Trump-supporting organizations. Some members of Congress loyal to Trump spread the propaganda and recruited Trump loyalists to attend the January 6th event. Others even prepped insurgents with Capitol tours the day before the violent deadly terror event. And even more showed signs of support as the terrorists began their rage on the Capitol. On the day of the event, many Trump supportes gathered to hear the President, his cronies, and family members speak. Many wore Trump MAGA gear. Others wore White supremacists attire. Some had weapons with them, others created a noose near the White House, and still more hid homemade explosives in the area.
In typical Trump rally fashion, the stage at the Elipse was set carefully with a backdrop of The White House. Prior to the Elipse gathering, there is a video showing the Trump team celebrating the numbers of people at the gathering--some are dancing, others are snapping photos, and everyone seemed gleeful that their deadly insurrection was going as planned.Trump cronies and family members spoke first--they all spread a similar message of misinformation repeating bogus lies and violence with words like fight and combat. Then when it was time for Trump to speak, he kept the audience waiting in his typical let-them-get-psyched-for-me fashion. He knows that wait time makes people anxious, excited, and hyped as they anticipate his rally calls. So when he finally arrived, the crowd was full of enthusiasm and fury. Trump, in his typical propagandist style, used a combination of theater and purposeful speak to lure the crowd into his grasp. He praised them often, lied about the election, praised himself, and condemened Democrats and Republicans that did not support him repeatedly. Then towards the end of the speech, he told his loyalist to fight if they wanted to save the country. He also told them that he would walk with them to the Capitol. When the crowd broke out in cheers of praise for Trump or disdain for anyone who Trump demonized, he simply stopped, smiled at them, and egged their cheers on with his signature thumbs up and waves.
Finally, the speech was over and the angry mob headed to the Capitol. Trump didn't stay true to his promise to walk with them, but instead went to the safety of the White House. The fans walked to The Capitol, forced their way inside the halls, and wreaked havoc via vandalism, threats, hate speech, injury, and murder. The lawmakers who were meeting to debate and confirm the electoral college vote had to scurry to safety as the terrorists broke into their chambers and offices. All the while this was happening people all over the world were watching the bloody, violent revolt. I was watching and tweeting the FBI and my elected officials to try to stop this. I was worried about the safety of all at the Capitol, and I was worried about the families watching this eruption. I imagined children of lawmakers, Capitol staff, law enforcement, and even the terrorists fearfully wondering if their loved ones would come home that night. Yet, the President was somewhere in the White House passively watching the carnage and not acting to stop it. I truly hope someone reveals footage from White House cameras of how he was reacting to the deadly violence because for hours he did not act to stop it--he didn't tell his loyal followers to stop until well after the damage was done, and when he did speak, he told the terrorists that he loved them and continued to spread the lies about the election.
Trump must be convicted of high crimes and misdemeanors because he purposefully staged and incited the murder, injury, and terror of American citizens. He also obstructed justice by impeding the confirmation of a fair election; blocking a peaceful transfer of power, and inciting vandalism at the Capitol which resulted in dangerous and costly damage.
Trump had many choices, and with each choice he further acted as a criminal against the people he was elected to serve--he was unfaithful to his oath of office, and he definitely acted against the safety and welfare of our country and people as a traitor and a terrorist.
What choices did he make?
- He chose to continuously spread lies about a free and fair election. He made his many loyal followers who trust him believe that the elections were unfair when truthfully 86 legal lawsuits proved it was a free and fair election.
- He chose to stage a rally for his angry followers on the day and time that the electoral college vote was to be confirmed.
- He used campaign funds to stage for the event.
- He asked his friends and family members to speak to the crowd and they urged the crowd to fight.
- He made the crowd wait for him, thus creating more angst and fury.
- Rather than ask the crowd to support a peaceful transfer of power, he told them to fight.
- He told them that he would walk to the Capitol with them showing a sign of solidarity for what they were feeling and ready to do--yet he deceived them and went to the safety of The White House instead.
- As the violence raged, he sat back and did not act to stop it for HOURS.
- Finally when he did speak, he continued to spew lies, and support the violators by telling them that he loved them.
- After the event, in the evening, he read a statement that appeared to be read simply to try to save himself from prosecution--his reading of the words were hollow and unbelievable. Later in the week ahead he repeated some similar empty words and sentiment.
- He never, in any way, supported a peaceful transfer of power. Not only did he stage and incite a deadly insurrection that killed, maimed, terrorized, vandalized, and obstructed justice, but he never conceded the election with any grace. never congratulated Joe Biden by mentioning his name, and never took responsibility for the carnage he staged and incited--the deaths, injury, terror, vandalism, looting, overtime work, and obstruction of justice he caused to the American people.
- He also did not attend President Biden's inauguration, and upon his departure he staged another self-serving event once again complete with false praise and propaganda.
