Democrats utterly cave. Impeachment trial will end today: Live coverage #2

Note that it’s completely unclear at this point that this is the actual agreement. 

Why the House managers would accept just entering a statement that was already a public statement — which they could have done anyway — is a mystery. If the House managers back off at this point, Republicans will claim for the next decade that Democrats folded when they threatened to call Nancy Pelosi and Kamala Harris.

It’s unclear this is the deal, but it’s unclear why that would even be considered as a deal.

We’re back in session with Bruce Castor speaking for Trump’s team. They’re accepting Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler’s statement into the record.

Rep. Jaime Raskin is now reading that statement into the record. This is apparently the deal.

And … that’s it. No other witnesses or documents to be admitted. Damn it.

They’re moving ahead. That momentary glow on the horizon wasn’t a sunrise after all. Just a candle that’s already blown out.

Rep. Raskin is stepping up to give the closing argument, he can reserve time for a response when Trump’s team is done.

Rep. Raskin starts out by refuting the claim that Trump’s actions during the insurgency, revising the statement from Rep. Herrera Beutler, and hammering how that perpetuated the incitement, but speaks to Trump’s intent.

It’s hard to even listen, having just witnesses how quickly Democrats folded after winning the vote to have witnesses. When Republicans held the majority last year, they took every possible step to help Trump evade justice. This year, after the tireless work of millions put Democrats in charge … they still would not call a witness.

Rep. Raskin ends strong, and hands over to Rep. David Cicilline. 

Rep. Cicilline walking through the timeline of events from Trump’s speech onward — showing that Trump had to be well aware that Mike Pence, and everyone in Congress, was in danger as Trump continued to encourage violence.

House managers have accepted the time stamp given to Trump’s phone call to Mike Lee, which moves the call to two minutes after Trump’s tweet threatening Pence.

Having paid dearly to get Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler’s statement into the record, at least House managers are using it. Rep. Cicilline hammering home the indifference Trump showed to the violence, and how Trump remained focus on stopping the counting of the electoral vote.

Expect Trump’s team to spend half their close attacking the House managers. 

That would be Mike Lee once again trying to inject some stunt into the proceedings. 

The thing is, Mike Lee absolutely knows he can’t just jump in and start speaking without being recognized. He’s supposed to be a “scholar” on the procedures of the Senate. So he’s absolutely aware that he’s derailing this process.