Trump impeachment trial live updates: Biden says charge 'not in dispute' in 1st comments on acquittal
Biden remembered those who were killed and called for unity going forward.
Former President Donald Trump's historic second impeachment trial ended with a 57-43 vote to acquit in the Senate. He faced a single charge of incitement of insurrection over his actions leading up to the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Top headlines:
- Biden praises police officers, calls charge 'not in dispute' in 1st comments
- Pelosi blasts McConnell, others who voted to acquit as 'cowardly group of Republicans'
- Managers highlight McConnell's agreement that they proved case
- McConnell says Trump solely to blame for attack after voting to acquit
- Schumer speaks on Senate floor
- Senate votes to acquit Trump: 57-43
Rep. Dean chronicles Trump's pressure campaign on officials
Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., one of the House impeachment managers, focused her remarks on Trump's specific efforts to try to overturn the 2020 election results.
"To be clear, not a single court, not a single judge agreed that the election results were invalid or should be invalidated," Dean said of the 62 post-election legal challenges she said were brought on behalf of Trump.
Dean noted that Trump's attempts to thwart the election ultimately ended up with him "pressuring the Justice Department" and "bullying his own vice president."
She went on to outline how Trump's pressure campaign on election officials, including Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, led to death threats against him and his family. She also noted how Trump "doubled down" on the attacks instead of easing up when the deaths threats went public.
"Let that sink in," Dean said. "A Republican public servant doing his job, whose family had just received death threats, and the president of the United States labeled him an 'enemy of the people.'"
Going on to play the recording of Trump asking Raffensperger to find the precise number of the votes he needed to win, Dean highlighted the impact of call.
"This is the president of the United States telling a secretary of state that if he does not find votes he will face criminal penalties," Dean said. "Senators, we must not become numb to this. Trump did this across state after state. So often, so loudly, so publicly."
"Public officials like you and me receive death threats and calls threatening criminal penalties all because Trump wanted to remain in power," she added.
Sen. Lindsey Graham spoke to Trump, who thinks his legal defense will get better
Sen. Lindsey Graham. R-S.C., told reporters he spoke to Trump Tuesday night and again Wednesday and that Trump didn't express anger to him about the performance of his legal team, but Graham said he told Trump that "his team will get better."
Graham reassured Trump that "the case is over. It's just a matter of getting the final verdict now."
"Bottom line is I think his team will do better, can do better. I think (Schoen), did a pretty good job and bottom line is I reinforced to the president, the case is over," Graham said. "It's just a matter of getting the final verdict now."
Graham also offered his estimate of how many Senate Republicans he thinks will vote against conviction.
"I think the vote for 'not guilty' will probably grow beyond 44," Graham said.
-ABC News' Trish Turner
Senate trial resumes
The Senate has returned from a roughly 15-minute break to resume opening arguments from the House impeachment managers.
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