Managers present dramatic new video of Capitol mob at Trump impeachment trial

House impeachment managers showed a dramatic new video of the mob storming the Capitol in the opening minutes of former President Trump’s impeachment trial, as Democrats look to make the case that Trump must be held accountable for his actions even if he is no longer in the White House.

Democrats created the disturbing video documenting the Jan. 6 siege by interweaving Trump’s address to a group of supporters calling on them to march on the Capitol with violent footage of the attack.

“We’re going to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue … and we’re going to the Capitol and we’re going to try and give our Republicans, the weak ones … we’re going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness they need to take back our country,” Trump says in the video.

The video then follows the mob down Pennsylvania Avenue and into the building, where lawmakers were gathered to certify the Electoral College vote count.

The video shows new footage of the pro-Trump mob shouting “take the Capitol,” engaging in violent confrontations with police officers and damaging the building as they flooded the hallways looking to disrupt the vote count.

House impeachment managers introduce video evidence as part of their case against Donald Trump, depicting one of the darkest days in American history. pic.twitter.com/7G2Jf1PEnQ

— Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) February 9, 2021

PART TWO of the House impeachment managers’ case against Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/vA48lqEDjL

— Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) February 9, 2021

Text at the end of the video reads: “At least seven people lost their lives, more than 140 law enforcement officers suffered physical injuries, and many more have been severely impacted by their experiences that day.”

The video then shows the text of a tweet Trump sent four hours later:

“These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away from great patriots who have been badly & unfairly treated for so long. Go home with love & in peace. Remember this day forever!” 

“If that is not an impeachable offense, then there is no such thing,” impeachment manager Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) concluded.

Raskin opened the impeachment trial by arguing that a failure to convict would create a “January exception” that absolves all future presidents of illegal conduct.

Raskin blasted Trump’s attorneys, who plan to argue that it is illegal to try a former president for impeachment.

“Their argument is that if you commit an offense in your last few weeks of office, you have constitutional impunity, you get away with it,” Raskin said. “This would create a brand new January exception to the Constitution of the United States of America … it’s an invitation to the president to take his best shot at anything he may want to do on his way out the door, including using violent means … to block the peaceful transfer of power … it’s an invitation to our founder’s worst nightmare.”