Wayne Dawkins is a writer, and a professor of professional practice at Morgan State University School of Global Journalism and Communication.

By Wayne Dawkins, Special to the AFRO

On Feb. 9 at former President Trump’s impeachment trial, House co-manager, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Maryland, promised he would not lecture U.S. Senate jurors about the commander in chief’s unconscionable behavior Jan. 6. 

Instead, Raskin played a 14-minute video of Trump marauders’ homicidal siege of Capitol. Images so damning and devastating Republicans who were previously unmoved to prosecute Trump acknowledged the trial was in fact constitutional and that the House managers presented concise, convincing cases of wrongdoing. 

The 45th ex-president is not entitled to a “January exception” said Raskin, which would have allowed Trump to incite a mob to bum rush the Capitol, maim people and even get some killed, destroy property and delay the eventual verification of a legitimate election. 

Meanwhile, Trump’s defense lawyers at the trial were foggy, long-winded and lame. Democrats did a good job, deadpanning a GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.  

So, Republicans, 70% of those that according to polls say Democrats suffer from “Trump derangement syndrome,” an irrational hatred of the immediate past president, lost all credibility. 

Want deranged? How about Trump whipping up the outdoor mob, then promising to march with them to the Capitol to “fight,” however he took a detour to the White House.

Deranged you say? How about Trump hiding out in the White House Oval Office from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., initially rejoicing after watching televised scenes of the siege of the Capitol and making himself scarce to Republican buddies such as Lindsay Graham and Chris Christie, who sent messages pleading that Trump to get control of the onslaught, reported investigators at the Washington Post. Family, including daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner could not get through to No. 45 either, reported the sleuths.  

Deranged? We didn’t watch a battle scene from “Game of Thrones,” we witnessed domestic terrorists, with misguided followers maim dozens of Capitol cops. 

Many in the mob apparently believed they were righteously “stopping the steal,” because Trump repeatedly told them so. Bizarrely, we now know a substantial number of marauders did not vote.

Deranged behavior? How about dereliction of duty by a sitting president? When Trump went MIA for hours, why did the president-elect need to jump into the vacuum and plead that the commander in chief do his job? Joe Biden’s demand went unheeded. 

Trump did finally address his supporters four hours after their siege. He called them patriots, and asked them to go home. Mayor Muriel Bowser had already declared a curfew and secured the district, but thanks anyway 45.

This week’s Senate impeachment trial of Trump, who by the way, opted not to face his accusers and hang out in Florida, is about whether he should be convicted and not ever be able to hold elected office again. 

What’s deranged is we even are debating this point. 

Simply look at the video.

The writer is a professor of professional practice at Morgan State University School of Global Journalism and Communication.