The lead prosecutor in the impeachment trial of former US president Donald Trump said the case against the Republican was based on “cold, hard facts,” and proceeded to present video evidence that Trump incited violence on January 6, in a historic second impeachment trial that began with debate on whether trying an ex-president is indeed constitutional.

Lead House impeachment manager Jamie Raskin from Maryland, told senators he would not bore them with professorial speak, saying: “You will not be hearing extended lectures here from me because our case is based on cold, hard facts.”

Videos from the deadly attack were clubbed with footage of President Trump addressing a rally of supporters just moments before the riots.  

“If that’s not an impeachable offense, then there is no such thing,” impeachment manager Jamie Raskin said.

He dismissed the argument of Trump’s lawyers that he should not be tried at all.

“Their argument is that if you commit an impeachable offense in your last few weeks in office, you do it with constitutional impunity. You get away with it,” Raskin said.

“In other words, conduct that will be a high crime and misdemeanor in your first year as president and your second year as president and your third year as president, and for the vast majority of your fourth year as president, you can suddenly do in your last few weeks in office without facing any constitutional accountability at all,” he said.

Fighting tears, Raskin recounted how he and his family — who were visiting to watch the certification — had been trapped, listening to “the sound of pounding on the door like a battering ram, the most haunting sound I have ever heard.”

“This cannot be the future of America,” he implored senators.