Lieu alleges Trump ran out of ‘nonviolent options’ to maintain power

House manager Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) alleged during Wednesday’s impeachment trial that former President Trump ran out of “nonviolent options” to maintain power, prompting him to turn “to the violent mob” that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Lieu requested that the Senate jurors keep in mind the state and local elections officials, congressional members and former Vice President Mike Pence who declined to contest the election results despite Trump’s wishes.

“It is only because all of these people stayed strong and refused President Trump that our republic held and the will of the electorate was seen through,” he said. “And at this point President Donald J. Trump ran out of nonviolent options to maintain power.”

“What you saw was a man so desperate to try to cling to power that he tried everything he could to keep it, and when he ran out of nonviolent measures, he turned to the violent mob that attacked your Senate chamber on Jan. 6,” he added. 

“As you cast your vote after this trial, I hope each of you will think of the bravery of all these people who said, ‘No’ to President Trump because they knew that this was not right, that this was not America,” he concluded before stepping away from the podium. 

Trump’s second impeachment trial began Tuesday. The House impeached Trump in January for inciting the mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6. 

It would take at least 17 GOP votes in the Senate to win a conviction, and it does not appear Democrats will win that many votes.