Dean argues Trump's conduct over months led to insurrection
Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., was the third House manager to speak during the closing arguments. She immediately outlined that she would focus on three points to counter the defense, all of which centered on Trump's conduct, inciting his supporters to violence on Jan. 6. She used short videos as evidence.
She began her argument by outlining how Trump, over many months leading up to Jan. 6, convinced his base that the election was stolen.
"We are not suggesting that Donald Trump's January 6th speech by itself incited the attack," Dean said. "We have shown that his course of conduct leading up to and including that speech incited the attack. The defense is correct that the insurrection was preplanned, that supports our point. We argued, and the evidence overwhelmingly confirms, that Donald Trump's conduct over many months incited his supporters."
Dean then went to claim that Trump urged his supporters to "stop the steal" on the very day Congress was certifying the election with the distinct purpose of overturning the election.
"It is true that some insurrectionists are being prosecuted," Dean said. "But it is not true that they did so on their own accord and for their own reasons. The evidence makes clear the exact opposite. That they did this for Donald Trump at his invitation, at his direction, at his command."
