The impeachment managers are laying out a powerful case today against Donald Trump, but one line in particular stood out. It came from Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA):
President Donald J. Trump ran out of non-violent options to maintain power.
That line goes to motive and also shows pre-meditation. Here’s the full statement from Lieu.
“How did our exceptional country get to the point where a violent mob attacked our Capitol, murdering a police officer, assaulting over 140 other officers? How did we get to the point where rioters desecrated, defiled, and dishonored your Senate chamber? Where the very place in which you sit became a crime scene, and where national guard troops still patrol outside wearing body armor? I’ll show you how we got here. President Donald J. Trump ran out of non-violent options to maintain power. After his efforts and, of course, and threatening officials failed, he turned to privately and publicly attacking members of his own party. In the house and in the Senate.”