Impeachment Trial: Hillary Clinton Says Trump Acquittal 'Will Be Because the Jury Includes His Co-Conspirators'

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday weighed in on former President Donald Trump's ongoing second impeachment trial. As lawmakers met for the second day of hearings, Clinton suggested the reason Trump might be acquitted is that "the jury includes his co-conspirators." Trump was impeached by the House in January on a charge of incitement of insurrection for the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

In her tweet, Clinton said an acquittal would not be "because the facts were with him or his lawyers mounted a competent defense," but would rather be due to "co-conspirators" on the jury. While Clinton did not list any names of alleged co-conspirators, several Republicans have faced criticism for what some Americans believe was their involvement in inciting the deadly riot. Sens. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley are among those DOP lawmakers, as they pushed unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election as well as the former president's claims the election was stolen from him.

If Senate Republicans fail to convict Donald Trump, it won't be because the facts were with him or his lawyers mounted a competent defense. It will be because the jury includes his co-conspirators.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 10, 2021

Clinton's tweet came after the second day of arguments from House impeachment managers before the Senate. During the hearing, the impeachment managers attempted to draw a direct line between the rioters and the former president. In their arguments, they cited at least one person reading a tweet from Trump attacking the vice president over a megaphone during the riot. They also introduced never-before-seen footage from the siege.

According to multiple journalists, during the hearing, several GOP members were not paying attention. NBC reporter Garrett Haake, who was in the chamber, said the impeachment managers struggled with "the intractable nature of trying to get some of the folks in the room to actually engage with the material and be present and take this seriously." The Hill reports Hawley, who was among those lawmakers who objected to Pennsylvania's Electoral College votes on Jan. 6, reportedly watched the hearing from the visitor's gallery above the Senate floor. He was reportedly looking at other material during the hearing and had his feet propped up on the seat in front of him. Hawley later said he was reading through the trial briefs and his own notes, adding he opted to sit away from his fellow lawmakers because "it's a little less claustrophobic."

Hawley, however, was not the only Republican senator to face criticism amid Tuesday's hearing. Sen. Tim Scott was reportedly reading a magazine article, and one reporter said Sen. Mike Braun was struggling to stay awake. Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn reportedly paid little attention to Rep. Joe Neguse's presentation, and Sen. Richard Burr was reportedly eating. Sen. Rand Paul, meanwhile, was spotted tracing the watermark of the Capitol on a legal pad, and Sen. Rick Scott was said to be looking at a map of Southeast Asia.

At this time, it seems unlikely that Trump will be convicted. A two-thirds majority would be needed to convict, and numerous Republicans have indicated they do not intend to find Trump guilty.