Impeachment managers conclude their case, urge Senate to convict Trump

US House impeachment managers concluded their case against Donald Trump on Thursday, urging the Senate over two days to convict the former President for inciting the insurrectionists that attacked the US Capitol, arguing Trump was responsible for the deadly January 6 riot, failed to stop the attackers and showed no remorse afterward.

The managers used their final day of arguments in the Senate impeachment trial to show how the insurrectionists who carried out the attack on the Capitol last month said they did it at Trump's direction, reports the CNN.

They focused on Trump's history of celebrating violence among his supporters leading up to the attack, and his claims that his conduct was "totally appropriate" as a warning he could try to do it again if given the chance.

Rep. Ted Lieu, a California Democrat, argued that Trump's response to the riots shows he would "undoubtedly cause future harm if allowed."

"I'm not afraid of Donald Trump running again in four years," said Lieu, one of the impeachment managers. "I'm afraid he's going to run again and lose. Because he can do this again."

The Democrats' arguments Thursday were at a decidedly lower decibel than on Wednesday, when the entire Senate was at attention while violent videos were played showing the chaos at the Capitol and disturbing new revelations about just how close the rioters were to reaching lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence.

Thursday's session was intended to drive home the point that Trump not only was responsible for the insurrectionists descending on the Capitol, but also that he did nothing while the violence unfolded and failed to apologize for it or even acknowledge the damage that had been done.

Wrapping up the House's case, lead impeachment manager Jamie Raskin of Maryland pleaded with senators to convict Trump, warning of the historical consequences if he is acquitted.

"If you don't find this a high crime and misdemeanor today, you have set a new terrible standard for presidential misconduct in the United States of America," Raskin said.

The Maryland Democrat and constitutional law scholar closed by citing Thomas Paine, who wrote the pamphlet "Common Sense" in 1776 advocating American independence.

"Let's not get caught up in a lot of outlandish lawyers' theories here," Raskin said. "Exercise your common sense about what just took place in our country."

Trump's lawyers get their turn to present to the Senate on Friday. They're expected to finish their presentation in a single day, according to two sources, and plan to argue that Democrats glorified violence in their presentation, that the trial is unconstitutional and that Trump's speech is protected by the First Amendment.