Convict Trump or face dire democracy damage, prosecutors say

WASHINGTON — Dire harm from Donald Trump's false and violent incitements will vex American democracy long into the future unless the Senate convicts him of impeachment and bars him from future office, House prosecutors insisted Thursday as they concluded two days of emotional arguments in his historic trial.

Making their case, they presented piles of new videos of last month's deadly Capitol attack, with invaders proudly declaring they were merely obeying "the president's orders" to fight to overturn the election results as Congress was certifying his defeat to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump is accused of inciting the invasion, which prosecutors said was a predictable culmination of the many public and explicit instructions he gave supporters long before his White House rally that unleashed the Jan. 6 attack.

"If we pretend this didn't happen, or worse, if we let it go unanswered, who's to say it won't happen again?" argued prosecutor Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo. Even out of office, Democrats warned, Trump could whip up a mob of followers for similar damage.

https://www.startribune.com/convict-trump-or-face-dire-democracy-damage-prosecutors-say/600021703/