In an open letter, hundreds of Congressional staffers are urging senators to convict former President Donald Trump for inciting last month’s violent siege of the United States Capitol, arguing that to not convict him would set a terrible precedent for the rule of law.
“We are staff who work for members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, where it is our honor and privilege to serve our country and our fellow Americans. We write this letter to share our own views and experiences, not the views of our employers,” wrote more than 370 staffers. “But on January 6, 2021, our workplace was attacked by a violent mob trying to stop the electoral college vote count. That mob was incited by former president Donald J. Trump and his political allies, some of whom we pass every day in the hallways at work.”
“As Congressional employees, we don’t have a vote on whether to convict Donald J. Trump for his role in inciting the violent attack at the Capitol, but our Senators do. And for our sake, and the sake of the country, we ask that they vote to convict the former president and bar him from ever holding office again,” they continue.
You can read the full letter HERE.
In a legal brief released yesterday, Congressional Democrats say Trump aimed a “loaded cannon” of his supporters at Congress when he incited a violent insurrection that claimed the lives of five people, including a Capitol Police officer who later died of injuries.
“His conduct endangered the life of every single Member of Congress, jeopardized the peaceful transition of power and line of succession, and compromised our national security,” the Democratic managers of the impeachment case wrote. “This is precisely the sort of constitutional offense that warrants disqualification from federal office.”
Trump’s legal team is expected to argue that the impeachment trial is unconstitutional. David Schoen, one of Trump’s attorneys, confirmed in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he will not use Trump’s claims about election fraud as part of the defense.
There is no evidence of widespread election fraud. Trump’s claims have been rejected by cybersecurity and intelligence experts, not to mention countless state officials and volunteers on the ground who have affirmed that the election was both free and fair.
