https://www.nysun.com/editorials/impeachment-mcconnells-verdict/91420/
It is one of the ironies of the trial of President Trump on a charge of incitement of insurrection that the remarks most likely to be studied by historians is the speech delivered after the verdict — not guilty — was brought in. It was after the Senate ordered the outcome be sent for safekeeping with the Secretary of State, and the court of impeachment was adjourned, that Senator Mitch McConnell unloaded.
His speech is likely to go down as one of the most remarkable ever delivered in the Senate. It was a constitutional highwire act worthy of the Great Wallenda. And, not to put too fine a point on it, it might well prove to be more damning to Mr. Trump than anything said by the prosecution — more damning, even, than a guilty verdict from the Senate would have been, though that can be but guesswork.
Mr. McConnell had just finished voting to acquit a former president he has clearly come to detest. He evidently felt that he had to say something to justify, or explain, that decision. So he opened with a five-word sentence. “January 6th,” he said, “was a disgrace.” Americans “attacked their own government,” “used terrorism to try to stop a specific piece of domestic business they did not like,” and “beat and bloodied our own police.”
They also, Mr. McConnell said, “tried to hunt down the Speaker” and built a “gallows” while chatting “about murdering the Vice President.” They did this, he added, “because they’d been fed wild, falsehoods by the most powerful man on earth because he was angry. He lost an election. Former President Trump’s actions that preceded the riot were a disgraceful, disgraceful dereliction of duty.”
