It was very hard to watch this video. Anyone who did watch would find it hard not to feel traumatized all over again at the surreal spectacle of violent mobs taking over the Capitol, looking for someone to kill. Via the New York Times:
In a 13-minute video of scenes from the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol, the lead House impeachment manager, Mr. Raskin, showed a graphic visual record of the attack, including rioters’ explicit language and rally cries, as well as clips of Mr. Trump’s comments during the day — like his speech to supporters before some of them stormed the Capitol and a Twitter post, hours after the attacks, in which he wrote, “Remember this day forever.”
The scenes of chaos in the video showed a mob of protesters violently pushing past security barricades and lines of police officers. Footage from inside the building included an officer screaming as he was being crushed by a door as well as the gunshot fired by another officer, which killed one of the rioters, Ashli Babbitt.
For many of the senators on Tuesday, the footage delivered different vantage points than what they experienced firsthand, as they were rushed out of the very same Senate chamber in shock and fear.
“You ask what a high crime and misdemeanor is under our Constitution,” Mr. Raskin told the senators at the conclusion of the video. “That’s a high crime and misdemeanor. If that’s not an impeachable offense, then there’s no such thing.”
Many GOP senators ignored the presentation. Marsha Blackburn was reportedly reading a book, while others looked at their phones, passed notes, pretended to read papers, and kept their heads down. (Looking at you, Marco, Rand, and Ted.) They just weren't interested in evidence.
The first question at hand was whether the the Senate trial was constitutional, and the presentation was so tight and well-done that even Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) voted in favor. (The resolution passed with the help of six Republicans. Now we move on to the actual trial.) Sen. Mike Lee? He wants a "mulligan" for Trump:
Rep. Joe Neguse tied it all together:
Rep. Jamie Raskin made not just the legal case, but an emotional case:
I suspect most of America cried with him.
