The Senate Trial regarding former US President Donald Trump‘s alleged incitement of an insurrection could move into its final hours today after the defence team rested on Friday.
Trump’s lawyers argued that his rhetoric urging supporters to march on the Capitol was protected political speech and that he did nothing to incite the mob to attack Congress on January 6th. They also claim he had not been afforded due process by the House of Representatives when it moved to impeach him.
Both sides also fielded some 28 questions from the Senators who are jurors in the case before concluding for the day on Friday. But a lack of clarity remains on whether House Managers prosecuting the case will call for witnesses to testify in the trial, which could open debate among senators on whether to approve or deny such a request – that too would have to be voted on.
House Managers have relied heavily on evidence in the public domain, largely the former president’s own tweets and statements that they believe egged on the January 6 attack.
Closing arguments for both prosecutors and defence could last up to two hours each ahead of a final vote to convict or acquit – a timeline that suggests a conclusion on Saturday night at the earliest in the absence of any official witness testimony.
Trump impeachment trial update with Sherwin Bryce-Pease:
