Trump vows comeback after being cleared of inciting Capitol rampage
Donald Trump promised a political comeback last night after being cleared of inciting the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.
Most US senators ruled the former president had encouraged the violence that left five dead but he won a historic second acquittal in an impeachment trial after Democrats failed to win a two-thirds majority. They voted a month ago to charge Mr Trump with “incitement of insurrection” but needed 67 votes, to convict him. The vote was 57-43 after seven Republicans broke party ranks to find him guilty.
The former president immediately issued a statement welcoming his acquittal. He thanked his lawyers and defenders in US congress, who, he said, “stood proudly for the Constitution we all revere and for the sacred legal principles at the heart of our country”.
Mr Trump said his trial was “yet another phase of the greatest witch hunt in the history of our country” and told his supporters that “our historic, patriotic and beautiful movement to Make America Great Again has only just begun”.
But, after the vote, Senate leader Chuck Schumer issued a damning speech condemning Trump and the senators who supported him. He said: “If encouraging political violence becomes the norm, it will be open season on our democracy and everything will be up for grabs for everyone who has the biggest guns or the sharpest spears.
“By not recognising the heinous crime that Donald Trump committed against the constitution, republican senators have not only risked but potentially invited the same danger that was just visited upon us. “Despite the results of the vote on Donald Trump’s conviction in the court of impeachment, Trump deserves to be to be convicted. And I believe he will be convicted in the court of public opinion. He deserves to be publicly discredited and I believe he has been discredited in the eyes of the American people and in the judgment of history.
“Even though the Republican senators prevented the Senate from disqualifying Donald Trump from office, there is no question that Donald Trump has disqualified himself.”
Five people died after a mob laid siege to the Capitol. Mr Trump’s lawyers argued that the rioters acted on their own accord and that the former president was protected by freedom of speech. They said the case was brought on by Democrats’ “hatred” of Mr Trump.
The Democrats had insisted Trump’s speech to supporters encouraged their violent march on the Capitol on January 6 but said the speech was only the climax to his vitriolic campaign after the election when he insisted victory had been stolen from him.
“And so they came, draped in Trump’s flag, and used our flag, the American flag, to batter and to bludgeon,” US representative Madeleine Dean told the impeachment hearing. “History has found us. I ask that you not look the other way.” Polls suggest most Republican voters agree and many of the party’s politicians were said to be concerned about losing their support if they voted to impeach while the possibility of Mr Trump or one of his family running again increased their reluctance.
The outcome of the vote had been expected but was all but confirmed when senior Republican in Congress, senator Mitch Mcconnell, said he would vote to acquit.