Trump impeachment video shows Pence, Romney fleeing as protesters attack Capitol

A security camera video has been released during former US president Donald Trump's impeachment trial at the Senate showing former vice-president Mike Pence being whisked way and fleeing the Capitol during January attack on Congress.

House impeachment manager, Democratic congresswoman Stacey Plaskett, presented unreleased footage from security cameras in the Capitol building.

The new clip showed former Pence being quickly ushered to safety, along with family.

Another new clip showed Senator Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah, running to safety after Trump supporters breached the Capitol.

Pence had been in the Senate to oversee the formal certification of President Joe Biden's victory during the Jan. 6 proceedings at the Capitol, despite pressure from Trump to halt the process.

House impeachment managers presented video evidence as part of their attempt to convict Trump for “inciting the attack,” showing apparently narrow escapes from danger by Mitt Romney and Mike Pence.

Plaskett said, “As Pence was being evacuated, rioters started to spread throughout the Capitol. Those inside helped other rioters break in through doors in several locations around this entire building.” Plaskett presented the Democrats' reconstruction of the riot during the impeachment proceedings.

However, some lawmakers across the aisle weren’t impressed with the evidence.

“I’ve said many times that the president’s rhetoric is at times overheated, but this is not a referendum on whether you agree with everything the president says or tweets,” said Texas Senator Ted Cruz. “This is instead a legal proceeding.”

Another Trump ally, Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), said, “Nothing new here, for me, at the end of the day.”

Trump is the first president in US history to have been impeached twice, this time for "incitement of insurrection" over the January attack on the US Capitol by his supporters as Congress was certifying Biden’s victory in the November 3 election.

Before the Capitol siege, Trump had urged his supporters to “peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”

Trump’s defense team previously focused on the legality of the trial, arguing lawmakers have no authority under the Constitution to try a president after he leaves office.

Trump's legal team has strongly denied all the allegations against him, stating that Trump urged the rioters to "stay peaceful" amid the protests of January 6.

Republican Senator Rand Paul has said the impeachment trial of Trump has "zero chance" that he will be convicted, describing it as a "partisan farce."

“45 Republicans have said it's not even a legitimate proceeding, so it's really over before it starts,” Paul said.

The Kentucky senator called on Democrats to look within their own ranks, saying using the same logic as those who are pushing for the Trump trial, Democratic politicians, like Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, should also be prosecuted for "political speech".

"If we're going to criminalize speech, and somehow impeach everybody who says, 'Go fight to hear your voices heard,' I mean really we ought to impeach Chuck Schumer then," he said.

Trump's lawyers have said they will use a video of Democrats' “inciting violence” as a counter to the argument that the former president is to blame for the Capitol attack.

Trump impeachment is ‘partisan farce’; ‘zero chance’ of conviction: Rand Paul

US Republican Senator Rand Paul says the upcoming Trump impeachment trial has "zero chance" of convicting him, describing it as a "partisan farce."

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