WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial began Tuesday in the U.S. Senate nearly five weeks to the day following the assault on the U.S. Capitol.
He faces one count of "Incitement of Insurrection" for the words he spoke minutes before the deadly January 6th mob attack.
House manager Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Maryland) let a graphic, 13-minute-long videotape do the talking.
"Our case is based on cold hard facts," he said.
Raskin showed Senators a series of news and social media clips from Trump's speech the morning of the attack outside the White House, through the riot that played out blocks away later that day outside and inside the Capitol building.
"If that's not an impeachable offense, then there is no such thing," said Raskin.
But Trump's lawyers countered that the trial is "a weaponization of the impeachment process."
Attorney David Schoen said going forward with the trial is a case of politicians "'seeking to disenfranchise 74-million-plus American voters."
He continued, "This is a process that is fueled irresponsibly by base hatred by these House managers and those that gave them their charge. And they're willing to sacrifice our national character to advance their hatred and their fear that one day they might not be the party in power."
Schoen and Bruce Castor are new to the case. The previous defense team quit less than two weeks ago, reportedly over legal strategy that was not in alignment with Trump's thinking.
Forty-five Senate Republicans earlier voted that it is unconstitutional to hold an impeachment trial for a former president.
The Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel in a statement Tuesday said, "This unconstitutional exercise will only further divide our nation at a time when we desperately need unity."
But, the House managers insist that the trial against Trump must go forward, arguing in a filing Tuesday: "His brief--in which he refuses to accept responsibility for his actions--highlights the danger he continues to pose to the nation he betrayed."
Christopher Newport University political science professor Quentin Kidd said, lawmakers from both sides are simply playing the roles their constituents expect.
"Remember, an impeachment is a political trial," he said. "It's not a legal trial as we would have in a court of law. It's a political trial. And so, part of what both Republicans and Democrats are thinking about is the political implications."
Kidd continued, "Democrats would've been in a political bind with their voters if they didn't impeach the President and if they didn't vote to convict him in the Senate. Republicans are in a bind if they did vote to impeach him and if they do vote to convict him in the Senate. And so both sides are weighing the political calculations of their actions."
The Senate wrapped up initial arguments Tuesday afternoon and is set to begin hearing evidence Wednesday. On a 56-44 vote (with six Republicans joining every Democrat) the chamber voted Tuesday on the question of constitutionality to go forward with the trial.