Uncertainty over Trump incitement trialin DC
Donald Trump’ s impeachment trial was thrown into uncertainty after Democrats tried to introduce a witness who claims to have overheard a key phone call with the former president.
Senators had been expected to reach a verdict yesterday after being called to a special sitting. But the attempt to introduce a new witness delayed proceedings by several hours, with four hours of closing statements still to be heard.
Lead Democratic prosecutor Jamie Raskin, of Maryland, had asked to hear from Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler over fresh information. Beutler has widely shared a conversation she had with House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, the contents of which, she says, proves the former president did not try to stop the Capitol riots.
This contradicts the
defence’s claim that the former president was horrified by the attack and moved to try to stop it immediately.
Proceedings were halted for over an hour while senators worked out next steps. Eventually her statement was read to the trial, allowing the closing speeches to begin.
Mr Trump is charged with “incitement of insurrection” over last month’s violence when the US Capitol was stormed by his supporters as Congress was attempting to ratify the 2020 election result. Five people died in the chaos and its aftermath.
Democrats have been trying to prove that the riot on January 6 was a result of incitement by Mr Trump, telling them to do it at a rally on the National Mall just hours beforehand.
But Mr Trump’s lawyers say he was not to blame and that what he told his supporters was “ordinary political rhetoric” and was constitutionally protected free speech.
Record numbers of Scots are catching coronavirus while in hospital, the latest figures show.
Public Health Scotland data revealed 244 patients caught Covid-19 while in hospital, and a further 114 were probably infected.
Figures for the week ending January 17 show the highest number of hospitalacquired infections at any time during the pandemic.
Scottish Labour interim leader Jackie Baillie said: “More efforts must be devoted to protecting both frontline staff and vulnerable patients.”
The Scottish Government said: “We are working hard with health boards to manage and reduce this.”