CNN’s Laura Coates Makes the Case that Trump and His Surrogates Actually Incited Capitol Violence

Is President Donald Trump complicit in the awful acts that occurred on Capitol Hill just after he addressed a crowd of his adoring supporters who went on to commit a deadly siege on the Capitol building? It’s the question that lays at the heart of potential criminal liability and raises questions of what constructs protected speech and what is considered inciting a riot.

CNN’s legal analyst Laura Coates outlined the specific issues that potential prosecutors will consider before making a compelling case that, yes, Trump did incite violence. Coates focused on four individuals who addressed the Save America Rally, before rallygoers marched on, and eventually sieged the capital building: President Trump, Donald Trump, Jr., Donald Trump, Jr., Rudy Giuliani, and Rep. Mo Brooks, and Rep. Mo Brooks.

Coates then outlined the specifics of what a prosecutor will need to prove, which were neatly illustrated on the magic board behind her: 1. Intend to and actually use words that rally people to take illegal action; 2. The danger must be imminent, not at some indefinite point in the future; and 3. Words must be said in a situation where violence is likely to happen.

Previous comments were made by then-candidate Trump during a rally in which he directed security and rally-goers to attend to a protestor by saying, “get him out of here!” and “Don’t hurt him.” Trump did call for a peaceful march on the Capitol on Wednesday, but he also used rhetoric to be seen as more incendiary, and perhaps even criminal.

In a remarkably compelling manner, the case was then made, in which Coates drew a straight line from the White House rhetoric to the deadly attack on the Capitol. And if viewers missed the explicit reference, a map from the White House ellipse (where the Save America Rally was held) to the capitol building was shown. The roadway the unruly insurrectionists walked on? Constitution Avenue.

Watch above via CNN.

This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.