We’re back from the break forced by Mike Lee once again engaging in some kind of rule-breaking stunt.

Rep. Madeleine Dean is up for the House managers, giving the closing argument recap of Trump’s incitement. First time we’ve had video in the closing arguments.

It’s funny how the organizers of the “Million MAGA March” declared they were going to destroy the GOP. They didn’t need to. The GOP destroyed itself.

More objections, this time around a slide — even though the contents of the slide were already in evidence.

Clearly there are no reasons for these objections other than to attempt to throw House managers off their stride during closing remarks. Trump’s team — assisted by Republican senators — is claiming not to have seen evidence that’s already in the record.

Re. Joe Neguse is coming up to speak. Neguse has been one of the best among the House team in the crispness and directness of approach. 

But I’m hoping they’re saving Rep. Stacey Plaskett for the final word after the Trump team talks.

Rep. Neguse notes that Trump’s layers has argued “vigorously” on his behalf. He doesn’t say effectively. Because they have not. The only thing that keeps this from being a 100-0 vote is Republicans placing Trump above the good of the nation.

Rep. Joe Neguse being genuinely moving in his presentation. One of those calling to their better angels moments that may not move Republicans today, but it’s damned effective.

Right now, Mike Lee is trying to think of an objection.

Damn. Rep. Neguse is so, so good. I hope this speech gets clipped for the evening news.

Rep. Neguse sits down. A moment when I wish the Senate allowed applause.

Rep. Raskin steps up to deliver what seems like the last of their closing argument. Not sure they’ve reserved any time for a rebuttal. If so, it won’t be much.

Rep. Raskin definitely delivering an effective and moving statement. But you can bet that Trump’s legal team will sneer at this “emotional” testimony — because Trump’s legal team is all too much like Trump.

Rep. Raskin puts down a beautiful final statements. The House team has 28 minute for response. 

Van der Veen comes up and immediately cause the closing the House managers “a mess.” Keeps up his tone of being a snide smartass.

Van der Veen showing that he’s going to spend his time attacking the House team, rather than speaking at all about Trump, or any of the events on Jan. 6,

The final position of Trump’s legal team appears to be that Jan. 6 is Nancy Pelosi’s fault.

It kind of sounds like van der Veen is just going to snarl on his own from beginning to end, giving us no last chance to see Bruce Castor tell about the value of an onion when he was a kid.

Rep. Raskin steps back up and says he’s only going to talk for about five minutes.

Points out that Trump’s team has at least come around to agreeing that an insurrection did occur.

Rep. Raskin has been waiting for this moment. He’s got a Julian Bond story … and he’s ready to give it to you now.

Note that it’s completely unclear at this point that this is the actual agreement. 

Why the House managers would accept just entering a statement that was already a public statement — which they could have done anyway — is a mystery. If the House managers back off at this point, Republicans will claim for the next decade that Democrats folded when they threatened to call Nancy Pelosi and Kamala Harris.

It’s unclear this is the deal, but it’s unclear why that would even be considered as a deal.

We’re back in session with Bruce Castor speaking for Trump’s team. They’re accepting Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler’s statement into the record.

Rep. Jaime Raskin is now reading that statement into the record. This is apparently the deal.

And … that’s it. No other witnesses or documents to be admitted. Damn it.

They’re moving ahead. That momentary glow on the horizon wasn’t a sunrise after all. Just a candle that’s already blown out.

Rep. Raskin is stepping up to give the closing argument, he can reserve time for a response when Trump’s team is done.

Rep. Raskin starts out by refuting the claim that Trump’s actions during the insurgency, revising the statement from Rep. Herrera Beutler, and hammering how that perpetuated the incitement, but speaks to Trump’s intent.

It’s hard to even listen, having just witnesses how quickly Democrats folded after winning the vote to have witnesses. When Republicans held the majority last year, they took every possible step to help Trump evade justice. This year, after the tireless work of millions put Democrats in charge … they still would not call a witness.

Rep. Raskin ends strong, and hands over to Rep. David Cicilline. 

Rep. Cicilline walking through the timeline of events from Trump’s speech onward — showing that Trump had to be well aware that Mike Pence, and everyone in Congress, was in danger as Trump continued to encourage violence.

House managers have accepted the time stamp given to Trump’s phone call to Mike Lee, which moves the call to two minutes after Trump’s tweet threatening Pence.

Having paid dearly to get Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler’s statement into the record, at least House managers are using it. Rep. Cicilline hammering home the indifference Trump showed to the violence, and how Trump remained focus on stopping the counting of the electoral vote.

Expect Trump’s team to spend half their close attacking the House managers. 

That would be Mike Lee once again trying to inject some stunt into the proceedings. 

The thing is, Mike Lee absolutely knows he can’t just jump in and start speaking without being recognized. He’s supposed to be a “scholar” on the procedures of the Senate. So he’s absolutely aware that he’s derailing this process.