Cruz: Trump trial arguments don’t meet standard for incitement
After listening to hours of arguments for President Donald Trump’s conviction in the Senate impeachment trial this week, Sen. Ted Cruz said the arguments don’t meet the standard for incitement.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said it was “an emotional presentation” Thursday. He continued to say the trial is unconstitutional.
“I think if this is to become a regular feature of our politics that’s troublesome,” Cornyn said Thursday. “There’s other alternatives to what we’re doing.”
Cruz, R-Texas, praised prosecutors, but he said Trump shouldn’t be convicted for “inciting an insurrection.” The Democratic-run House impeached Trump last month for taking that step.
“I think they’re effective lawyers and they put on a presentation,” Cruz said Thursday of the impeachment arguments so far. “They didn’t demonstrate it satisfies the legal standard.”
Cruz said that Trump’s language on the day of the deadly Jan. 6 riot was no different than that of most other politicians.
“They started the day by playing video of the president saying things like ‘Fight and win’ and ‘Take back our country.’ If that language is going to be deemed incitement there’s not a political candidate in the country who hasn’t used the very same language,” Cruz said.
“I would wager every single one of the Democratic senators in that chamber have stood on the stump and said ‘Go. Fight. Win. Take our country.’”
Cruz referenced the 13-minute video played at the trial Wednesday that juxtaposed the events of the Capitol attack and Trump’s speech that day.
Cornyn said he thought the video provided insight to what it was like inside the Senate during the riot.
“That was a pretty emotional, emotional presentation,” he said Thursday. “Obviously, none of us were able to see all of that. Indeed, I don’t think any one person really would see that. You don’t get a chance to understand everything that was going on at the time.”
Cornyn also said he disagrees with South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham’s tweet Wednesday that said “most Republicans found the presentation by the House Managers offensive and absurd.” Graham is the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
“I think it was disturbing,” he said Thursday. “I wouldn’t call it offensive.”
House impeachment managers need to persuade at least 17 Republican to join the 50 members of the Senate Democratic caucus, who are expected to unanimously vote to convict.
Starting Friday, Trump’s lawyers have up to two days to make their argument against his conviction.
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This story was originally published February 12, 2021 at 9:45 AM with the headline "Cruz: Trump trial arguments don’t meet standard for incitement."