Former campaign manager: Trump's rhetoric killed Ashli Babbitt
During their hearing Tuesday, the Jan. 6 committee presented evidence showing that Donald Trump's former campaign manager Brad Parscale expressed remorse in exchanged texts with former Trump adviser Katrina Pierson.
Parscale said that he felt "guilty" about helping Trump win in 2016 in light of events that took place on Jan. 6, namely the killing of Trump supporter and Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt.
Parscale referred to Trump as “a sitting president asking for civil war,” in regards to his efforts to overturn the election.
Pierson replied, “You did what you felt right at the time and therefore it was right.”
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“Yeah, but a woman is dead,” Parscale said, later adding, “If I was Trump and I knew my rhetoric killed someone.”
Pierson replied, “It wasn’t the rhetoric.”
“Katrina,” Parscale said. “Yes it was.”
The assault on the Capitol left at least five people dead and 140 police officers injured, and followed a fiery speech by Trump to thousands of his supporters near the White House.
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Trump was impeached for a historic second time by the House of Representatives after the riot -- he was charged with inciting an insurrection -- but was acquitted by the Senate.
In a statement Tuesday on the Truth Social platform, Trump denounced the committee as "Political Hacks and Thugs."
"Have you seen them before?" he asked. "Yes, they are essentially the same lunatics that drove the Country 'crazy' with their lies and made up stories, like RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA, and all of the others."
Watch the video below or at this link.
\u201c"if I was Trump and knew my rhetoric killed someone" -- a Brad Parscale text from January 6\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1657651780
With additional reporting by AFP