Rep. Jaime Raskin (D-Md.), the lead House impeachment manager, is arguing that former President Donald Trump not only incited the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol, but also encouraged it and enjoyed watching the aftermath.
During his remarks on Wednesday, Raskin said, “This case is much worse than someone who falsely shouts fire in a crowded theater.”
“It’s more like a case where the town fire chief, who’s paid to put out fires, sends a mob not to yell fire in a crowded theater, but to actually set the theater on fire,” he continued.
“And who then when the fire alarms go off, and the calls start flooding into the fire department asking for help does nothing but sit back, encourage the mob to continue its rampage, and watch the fire spread on TV with glee and delight.”
Watch the video below:
Raskin: "This case is much worse than someone who falsely shouts fire in a crowded theater. It's more like like a case where the town fire chief, who's paid to put out fires, sends a mob not to yell fire in a crowded theater, but to actually set the theater on fire." pic.twitter.com/wj61BjDMaX
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 10, 2021
Raskin noted that Trump’s defense team has argued that he was exercising his First Amendment right during a rally before protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
He argued that while a “private person can run around on the street expressing his or her support for the enemies of the United States and advocating the overthrow of the United States Government.”
However, he argued that a president would violate his oath of office and could be impeached if he engaged in such behavior.
On Jan. 6, after weeks of making unfounded claims that the election was stolen, Trump told supporters, “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol, and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and we’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them, because you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.”
“We fight like hell, and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore,” he added.
Trump previously defended his speech before the rally as he claimed, “If you read my speech, and many people have done it… it’s been analyzed… People thought that what I said was totally appropriate.”
As demonstrators rampaged through the Capitol, Trump blasted Pence for not trying to overturn the election results, as IJR reported.
Additionally, as the law enforcement secured the Capitol building, Trump tweeted, “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!”
