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Trump Aimed 'Loaded Cannon' of Supporters at Capitol, Democrats Allege

Associated Press

   WASHINGTON - Donald Trump endangered the lives of all members of
   Congress when he aimed a mob of supporters "like a loaded cannon" at
   the U.S. Capitol, House Democrats said Tuesday in making their most
   detailed case yet for why the former president should be convicted and
   permanently barred from office.
   The legal brief forcefully links Trump's baseless efforts to overturn
   the results of the presidential election to the deadly Jan. 6 riot at
   the Capitol, saying he bears "unmistakable" blame for actions that
   directly threatened the underpinnings of American democracy. It argues
   that he must be found guilty when his impeachment trial opens before
   the Senate next week on a charge of inciting the siege.
   "His conduct endangered the life of every single Member of Congress,
   jeopardized the peaceful transition of power and line of succession,
   and compromised our national security," the Democratic managers of the
   impeachment case wrote. "This is precisely the sort of constitutional
   offense that warrants disqualification from federal office."
   The legal brief lays out for the first time the arguments House
   lawmakers expect to present at the impeachment trial. It not only
   explicitly faults him for his role in the riot but also aims to
   preemptively rebut defense claims that Trump's words were somehow
   protected by the First Amendment or that an impeachment trial is
   unconstitutional, or even unnecessary, now that Trump has left office.
   It says Trump's behavior was so egregious as to require permanent
   disqualification from office.

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