 THE BIG STORY
The second impeachment of Trump is under way, and the first day was a lot to process
House Democrats opened former president Donald Trump's historic second impeachment trial Tuesday with a compelling video showing how his comments at a rally on Jan. 6 were echoed by his supporters as they stormed the Capitol, pulling together clips of the violence and destruction with Trump's responses throughout the day.
And in an emotional address during which he broke down in tears, Rep. Jamie Raskin, the House impeachment manager for the Democrats, recounted how he had brought his daughter and her sister's husband, Hank, with him that day to watch Congress certify Joe Biden's victory. But instead, Trump supporters stormed the Capitol. "All around me, people were calling their wives and their husbands, their loved ones to say goodbye," he recounted. "Members of Congress in the House were removing their congressional pins so they wouldn't be identified by the mob as they tried to escape the violence."
As powerful as the start of the proceedings were for the Democrats seeking impeachment, Trump's defense started so badly that even a Republican senator mocked it.
The day ended with the Senate voting 56–44 that it is constitutionally valid to hold an impeachment trial for Trump even though he is no longer president.  Trump supporters attack the Capitol building on Jan. 6. Nurphoto / Getty Images HELP OUR FIGHT FOR TRANSPARENCY
Our journalists filed 58 Freedom of Information Act lawsuits during Trump's presidency — more than any other media organization in the US. We have no plans to slow down, but pursuing that work is expensive and time consuming. STAYING ON TOP OF THIS
It’s been a month since the Capitol insurrection. There's a lot we still don't know.
One month and hundreds of pages of court filings later, there are critical unanswered questions about what happened on Jan. 6. No one has been charged in the death of US Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, and the FBI is still looking for whoever planted pipe bombs in Washington, DC, the night before.
And it’s not clear if anyone who was involved in organizing the demonstrations that preceded the violence or who encouraged Trump’s supporters to violently oppose the election results — or Trump himself — will be liable.
SNAPSHOTS
Kobe Bryant's helicopter pilot broke rules by flying into fog and then became disoriented. Federal air crash investigators announced their findings in the crash that killed Bryant, daughter Gianna, and seven others.
One person was killed and four others injured in a shooting inside a medical clinic. Gregory Paul Ulrich, 67, is believed to have targeted workers at the Buffalo, Minnesota, facility.
Princess Eugenie gave birth to a baby boy. The newest addition to Britain's royal family is now the 11th in line to the throne.
SPEAKING OUT
Paris Hilton testified that she was "abused on a daily basis" at a treatment facility for teens
Hilton told Utah lawmakers about being abused at multiple treatment centers for troubled teens while urging them to pass legislation requiring more regulation of the programs.
She spent time in three of the facilities as a teen, including nearly a year at Provo Canyon School, where she said she was "verbally, mentally, and physically abused on a daily basis" when she was 16.
"I don’t know if my nightmares will ever go away, but I do know that there are hundreds of thousands of kids going through this right now," Hilton, 39, said. "And maybe if I stop their nightmares, it will stop mine too." PAWS FOR EFFECT
An attorney couldn't figure out how to remove the cat filter from his Zoom court hearing
"I'm not a cat" isn't often heard in court hearings, and it's definitely never said by a cat. But, well, this is 2021, people are working remotely — even lawyers — and sometimes you can't figure out how to turn off a hilarious filter.  But Texas attorney Rod Ponton was ready to keep the hearing going, despite appearing as a kitten. "I'm prepared to go forward with it," the tiny cat said on screen.
Alas, his escape from humanity was brief. "The judge figured out how to take the filter off and remove it, and miraculously my less humorous, old guy image appeared during the hearing," Ponton told BuzzFeed News.
That's OK. We'll always have this pure video of a cat pleading that they are not, in fact, a cat. Wishing you a peaceful five minutes to find your center, Brandon 📝 This letter was edited and brought to you by Brandon Hardin and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here.
👉 Your support of BuzzFeed’s journalism does not constitute a charitable donation, and your contribution is not eligible for a tax-deduction. This is part of an effort to explore a deeper relationship with our most active supporters. BuzzFeed, Inc.
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