The brief — from Trump's legal team consisting of Bruce Castor, David Schoen and Michael van der Veen — asserts that Trump's speech did not encourage "an insurrection, a riot, criminal action, or any acts of physical violence whatsoever." Trump's speech was protected by the First Amendment, they write, and his reference to "fight" meant fighting for election security. Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for U.S. Capitol Police, said the heightened security that resulted after the Jan. 6 events would remain in place at least through Trump's trial. "The Department's current security posture continues to demand that we operate at a high-level of readiness for the upcoming Senate impeachment trial and the continued threats directed at the Congress and the Capitol," said Eva Malecki. The Current 20:13 What Donald Trump’s impeachment trial means for U.S. political institutions As former U.S. president Donald Trump's impeachment trial gets underway this week for his role in inciting the U.S. Capitol attack, some say the country's political institutions are at stake.

Source: CBC News February 08, 2021 17:03 UTC