January 6 Hearings Live

[TomC]

I find it hard to have any respect for Mike Pence. He seems like he has a bad case of battered-partner syndrome.

Yeah.
And in a few days Pence is going to move back to my home county. In semi-rural southern Indiana, where the local police are just about as prepared as the Washington D.C. police were last Wednesday.

Sucks to be me.
Tom

 

[Jarhyn]

I would point out that, when people say (unethical act) such as "being divisive", they generally include an implication of an unspoken term: "unilateral", ie "being unilaterally divisive".

Indeed, it is the unilateral nature which makes such acts unethical in the first place.

This creates an instance of the authoritarian model: "the law is to bind others (don't be divisive), and protect me (from being 'divided away'); it must not bind me (to not be preemptively and unilaterally divisive), nor protect those I am divisive against!"

The solution is to recognize the equivocation between "unilateral division" and "responsive/bilateral division".

 

[lpetrich]

Jen Rice on Twitter: "
- It's opening day of the Texas legislature
- Trump supporters rally today demanding "unfettered access" to TX Capitol
- Last minute change: COVID test is now required to enter
- Guns are welcome
- FBI warns armed protests planned at all 50 state capitols
- Trump visits TX today" / Twitter

Ayanna Pressley on Twitter: "The second I realized our "safe room" from the violent white supremacist mob included treasonous, white supremacist, anti masker Members of Congress who incited the mob in the first place, I exited. Furious that more of my colleagues by the day are testing positive." / Twitter

Elizabeth Warren on Twitter: "Trump incited a mob of white supremacists and domestic terrorists to attack our Capitol. If Congress fails to impeach and convict him for this act of insurrection, it would send a message to future Presidents that they are free to abuse their power to overthrow our democracy." / Twitter

Senator Jeff Merkley on Twitter: "Trump’s speech last week openly incited insurrectionists to storm the Capitol. Today, he called those comments “totally appropriate.” He is continuing to encourage insurrection & undermining the rule of law. He must be held to account for attacking our Constitution & our country." / Twitter

 

[lpetrich]

'Hate in their heart': Lawmakers fear more violence after Capitol attacks - POLITICO

After freshman GOP Rep. Nancy Mace announced she would be opposing President Donald Trump’s bid to overturn the election, the single mother of two feared so much for her life that she applied for a concealed carry permit and sent her kids hundreds of miles from D.C.

Democratic Rep. Al Green received police assistance at two airports on his trip home last week, after pro-Trump travelers harassed him at his gates in Nashville and Houston.

Another GOP House member flew home expecting to be greeted by concerned constituents after he endured the attack last week. Instead, what he and GOP colleagues heard chilled them to the core: “Do you think that Congress got the message?”

'Supremely self-absorbed': Isolated Trump unlikely to mount an aggressive impeachment defense - POLITICO - "He’s not doing much governing, aides said. Instead, Trump has surrounded himself with a handful of loyalists who were with him since the start."

In his final days of his term, Trump is still spending time railing against the election that he lost to Joe Biden in November and surrounding himself with a handful of loyalists — among them Rudy Giuliani — who have been with him since the start, according to interviews with eight current and former Trump aides.

What a sore loser. He seems like he has all the emotional maturity of a toddler.

 

[lpetrich]

Opinion | Yes, It Was a Coup Attempt. Here’s Why. - POLITICO

I’ve been studying authoritarian regimes for three decades, and I know the signs of a coup when I see them.

Technically, what Trump attempted is what’s known as a “self-coup” and Trump isn’t the first leader to try it. Charles Louis Napoleon Bonaparte (nephew of the first Napoleon) pulled one off in France in December 1851 to stay in power beyond his term. Then he declared himself Emperor, Napoleon III. More recently, Nicolas Maduro perpetrated a self-coup in Venezuela after losing the 2017 elections.

The storming of the Capitol building on January 6 was the culmination of a series of actions and events taken or instigated by Trump so he could retain the presidency that together amount to an attempt at a self-coup. This was not a one-off or brief episode. Trump declared “election fraud” immediately on November 4 even while the votes were still being counted. He sought to recount and rerun the election so that he, not Joe Biden, was the winner. In Turkey, in 2015, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan successfully did the same thing; he had called elections to strengthen his presidency, but his party lost its majority in the Parliament. He challenged the results in the courts, marginalized the opposition and forced what he blatantly called a “re-run election.” He tried again in the Istanbul mayoral election in 2019 but was thwarted.

Then went through what one needs for a coup and why this coup failed. It was a slow-motion coup, including trying to establish personal loyalty in the armed forces and packing the judiciary.

As in the case of other coup attempts, the president’s actions have put us on the brink of civil war. Trump did not overturn the election results, but, just as he intended, he disrupted the peaceful democratic transition of executive power.

Unless the Big Lie is thoroughly refuted, we can expect more attempts to subvert the constitutional order from Trump’s supporters—and we still have to get through the January 20 inauguration.

 

[ZiprHead]

MSNBC is reporting that some of the rioters had schematics and drawings of the capital buildings interior. More evidence this was more than just a simple riot.

 

[lpetrich]

The Capitol attack is now listed as an attempted coup by Wikipedia's contributors.
 List of coups d'état and coup attempts since 2010
 List of coups and coup attempts
 List of coups and coup attempts by country

Ex-WH nat-sec official: Trump attempted 'self-coup' in Capitol siege - Business Insider - Fiona Hill, the author of the Politico article that I'd recently posted on.

In the op-ed article, Hill outlined what she called a "standard coup 'checklist'" that analysts use to assess whether certain incidents can be considered a coup, which includes the military, communications, the judiciary, government institutions, and the legislature.

"The truth is that for the past four years, Trump has been stress testing the US democratic system to see if anyone will rein him in," the former national security official wrote. "Consider how many times he stated that he 'deserved' two or even three terms in office because he was treated 'unfairly' or 'cheated' out of the first two years of his presidency by the 'Russia hoax,' the Mueller investigation and last year's impeachment trial."

"Throughout 2020, when his poll ratings faltered, the president laid the groundwork for what would become the Big Lie that he won the election," she added.

Trump’s New Criminal Problem - POLITICO - "The president could face charges for inciting the Capitol riot—and maybe even for inciting the murder of a Capitol Police Officer."

Andrew Yang on Twitter: "If the Capitol Hill rioters had been of a different background conservatives would be calling for martial law right now. Impeachment is the right thing to do." / Twitter

 

[jab]

The odd thing in the end was, as I noted elsewhere, they marched up the stairs as an insurrection for liberty, and occupied the Capitol like drunk teens who snuck into a high school at night. I'm grateful the violence was limited, but it seems odd how some wanted to do worse, but seemed to be outnumbered by Mock Warriors who left stupid messages on envelopes about not backing down... before backing down and leaving the Capitol Building.

My thought was that there were a few competent people in the crowd, who were in on whatever planning there was. They used the hundreds of idiot wannabe revolutionaries as a blunt force to get through security, and as a distraction while they went for their targets. But breaking in took too long, so all the Congress people were successfully evacuated before anyone could get to them. Meanwhile the cannon fodder, left with no plan beyond get in and try to get Pence, just kinda meandered after that.

It was a very close call, timing wise:
The shooting of the frothing window climber paused things long enough to prevent the lynchers from getting to members of the House of Representatives being evacuated. And white stair-hopping Q guy, followed by his retinue, was successfully decoyed away from the Senate Chambers, apparently before they were completely emptied, by a quick-thinking black cop.

 

[lpetrich]

Rebecca Parson on Twitter: "21% of this poll in a far-right channel believes a massive inauguration terror attack will be blamed on them. The same channel is promoting a terror attack. https://t.co/ADNvFA6KvZ" / Twitter

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "Good morning
Lies are not “differences of opinion.”
Have a great day!" / Twitter

Murshed Zaheed on Twitter: "If the House acted faster and put itself in position to send impeachment articles to the Senate late last week - they may have gotten nearly 80 votes - per Republican aide to @washingtonpost

The more Pelosi/Dem leaders wasted time the harder they made it to remove Trump. https://t.co/4EmSy8UxTe" / Twitter
Yes, one has to ask why they dawdled.

Ayanna Pressley on Twitter: "Just another day in America with a Black woman putting in labor for our democracy in the midst of her own trauma, only to face disrespect & ingratitude." / Twitter
noting
Grace Meng on Twitter: "From ️ gas masks to no masks , i am incredibly angry at @GOPLeader @GOP colleagues for recklessly endangering the lives of my colleagues, staff and reporters. These folks fled for their lives from the House floor only to be locked in this room for hours. @LisaBRochester (link)" / Twitter

 

[lpetrich]

Jen Lee Productions on Twitter: ""'Get violent. Stop calling this a march, or rally, or a protest. Go there ready for war. We get our President or we die. NOTHING else will achieve this goal.'"

FBI report warned Capitol Police the day before: https://t.co/rM0Y97hYHz" / Twitter
noting
Washington Post: FBI warned of violent 'war' at Capitol in internal report issued day before deadly riot - CNNPolitics
noting
FBI report warned of 'war' at Capitol, contradicting claims there was no indication of looming violence - The Washington Post

“As of 5 January 2021, FBI Norfolk received information indicating calls for violence in response to ‘unlawful lockdowns’ to begin on 6 January 2021 in Washington. D.C.,” the document says. “An online thread discussed specific calls for violence to include stating ‘Be ready to fight. Congress needs to hear glass breaking, doors being kicked in, and blood from their BLM and Pantifa slave soldiers being spilled. Get violent. Stop calling this a march, or rally, or a protest. Go there ready for war. We get our President or we die. NOTHING else will achieve this goal.”

Whet Moser on Twitter: "just a coincidence that the "centrist" persuasion dude got to "nice country, shame if something happened to it" before the president did" / Twitter
noting
Aaron Rupar on Twitter: "Trump on impeachment: "For Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer to continue on this path, I think it's causing tremendous danger to our county and it's causing tremendous anger. I want no violence." https://t.co/YfHnaogOql" / Twitter
While considering himself completely blameless.

ABC News on Twitter: "NEW: Sen. Chuck Schumer calls for members of violent mob who stormed the U.S. Capitol to be placed on the no-fly list. "We cannot allow these same insurrectionists to get on a plane and cause more violence and more damage." (links)" / Twitter
noting
US airlines ban more passengers in wake of Capitol riot - ABC News - "More than 2,000 passengers have been banned since June for mask violations."

 

[lpetrich]

Cori Bush on Twitter: "We faced police dogs while protesting in Ferguson. There were police dogs at protests for George & Breonna. The President said the "most vicious dogs” awaited protesters standing up for Black lives at the White House.

Why weren't there police dogs at the Capitol last Wednesday?" / Twitter

jordan on Twitter: "While sheltering, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester offered masks to Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene, Markwayne Mullin, Andy Biggs & more and they refused. https://t.co/WlbLKiyjwn" / Twitter
then
Justin Jackson on Twitter: "Sometimes I laugh thinking about if these people ever had to go thru real oppression" / Twitter


Feds arrest Aaron Mostofsky, son of Brooklyn Supreme Court judge, at Midwood home - another gentleman in furs.

Media outlets reported Mostofsky was arrested for multiple charges, including theft of government property — which Mostofsky could be seen in photos at the scene with both a bulletproof vest and shield.

The New York Post interviewed Mostofsky on camera while inside the U.S Capitol last week, where he told reporters he felt cheated by the election results and that President Donald Trump was shorted nearly 10 million votes.

“I don’t think 75 million people voted for Trump — I think it was close to 85 million,” he said. “I think certain states that have been red for a long time turned blue and were stolen, like New York.”

He's also Jewish, and I don't know what he thinks about the neo-Nazis that were there.

 

[lpetrich]

COVID fears grow in Capitol as three lawmakers test positive | The Seattle Times

“Today, I am now in strict isolation, worried that I have risked my wife’s health and angry at the selfishness and arrogance of the anti-maskers who put their own contempt and disregard for decency ahead of the health and safety of their colleagues and our staff,” Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., said on Tuesday.

Schneider’s comments came a few hours after similar remarks from Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash..

Mike Nearman, Oregon state representative, told to resign by House speaker after letting rioters into Capitol - oregonlive.com

A Republican state representative caught on video opening the doors of the Oregon Capitol to right-wing demonstrators was removed from his legislative committees, billed for the damages caused by the group and called on to resign by the top House lawmaker.

Video clearly shows Rep. Mike Nearman helping right-wing demonstrators breach Oregon Capitol - oregonlive.com
Video shot from multiple angles reveals more of how Rep. Mike Nearman enabled demonstrators to illegally enter the Oregon Capitol and what happened next - oregonlive.com

 

[Shadowy Man]

He's also Jewish, and I don't know what he thinks about the neo-Nazis that were there.

I think it’s more likely that a Jew is a neo-nazi than Trump won New York.

 

[blastula]

COVID fears grow in Capitol as three lawmakers test positive | The Seattle Times

“Today, I am now in strict isolation, worried that I have risked my wife’s health and angry at the selfishness and arrogance of the anti-maskers who put their own contempt and disregard for decency ahead of the health and safety of their colleagues and our staff,” Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., said on Tuesday.

Schneider’s comments came a few hours after similar remarks from Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash..

Mike Nearman, Oregon state representative, told to resign by House speaker after letting rioters into Capitol - oregonlive.com

A Republican state representative caught on video opening the doors of the Oregon Capitol to right-wing demonstrators was removed from his legislative committees, billed for the damages caused by the group and called on to resign by the top House lawmaker.

Video clearly shows Rep. Mike Nearman helping right-wing demonstrators breach Oregon Capitol - oregonlive.com
Video shot from multiple angles reveals more of how Rep. Mike Nearman enabled demonstrators to illegally enter the Oregon Capitol and what happened next - oregonlive.com

Let those guys walk away too?

 

[ZiprHead]

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/YVDJqipoohc[/YOUTUBE]

 

[lpetrich]

Ryan Grim on Twitter: "NEW: Republican Rep. Paul Gosar at a rally promoting the January 6 event:

"You get to go back home once we conquer the Hill. Donald Trump is returned to being president." (2 minute mark) (link)" / Twitter
The more I find out about this action, the more horrible it becomes.

Mitch McConnell Said to be Pleased About Trump Impeachment Efforts - The New York Times

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, has told associates that he believes President Trump committed impeachable offenses and that he is pleased that Democrats are moving to impeach him, believing that it will make it easier to purge him from the party, according to people familiar with his thinking. The House is voting on Wednesday to formally charge Mr. Trump with inciting violence against the country.

At the same time, Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the minority leader and one of Mr. Trump’s most steadfast allies in Congress, has asked other Republicans whether he should call on Mr. Trump to resign in the aftermath of the riot at the Capitol last week, according to three Republican officials briefed on the conversations.

While Mr. McCarthy has said he is personally opposed to impeachment, he and other party leaders have decided not to formally lobby Republicans to vote “no,” and an aide to Mr. McCarthy said he was open to a measure censuring Mr. Trump for his conduct. In private, Mr. McCarthy reached out to a leading House Democrat to see if the chamber would be willing to pursue a censure vote, though Speaker Nancy Pelosi has ruled it out.

It got this response:
Scott Lemieux on Twitter: "We’re about a month away from them denying Republican elites ever supported Trump https://t.co/bKA3p9EDI5" / Twitter

 

[SLD]

I wonder if SLD, when he started this thread, knew how literally it would become true.

I did truly fear it. I knew he wouldn’t back down and would never concede. I thought he would go right up to the Rubicon to see how far he could get, but I didn’t think he’d actually cross it. I knew that the military wouldn’t support him, but I feared the courts might. I was glad when they ignored his blatant attempts. What I didn’t count on is how much he would spiral into a strange new world of utter madness. The 25th Amendment really could be invoked. I forgot my Roman history for a second; Rome really could be manipulated by controlling the mob. Politicians bowed to it. The US has other safeguards to prevent that. I just wasn’t thinking that he’d use his own personal army of brownshirts to do this. I thought maybe DHS troops as they served him well in Portland. But even they have taken an oath to the Constitution. The mob hasn’t. Now it seems so obvious.

What concerns me is that he had help. I suspect strongly a lot more planning went into this then meets the eye. Why was security so unprepared despite numerous warnings? Why did it take so long for the National Guard to deploy?

If I were Biden, I’d consider some serious housecleaning in management of DHS, the Pentagon and even DOJ. Something still stinks about this.

On the other hand this is my most successful thread, I believe.

 

[lpetrich]

Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Biggs Helped Plan January 6 Event, Lead Organizer Says - "In December, Ali Alexander claimed he and three House Republicans were organizing the rally that led to a storming of the Capitol on January 6."

Andy Biggs AZ, Paul Gosar AZ, Mo Brooks AL

Colin Woodard on Twitter: "As with Nixon, the first GOP House member to commit to voting to impeach a president from their own party hails from Yankeedom. (Last time it was Rep. Bill Cohen (R-ME02)) #AmericanNations https://t.co/nI8xcJOWCK" / Twitter
noting
Rep. John Katko becomes first House Republican to back Trump impeachment - syracuse.com


Barbara Lee on Twitter: "I’m wishing a quick recovery to my colleagues who have tested positive for COVID-19. It’s reckless that Republicans still won’t wear masks on the floor. https://t.co/N8Oej3jto4" / Twitter
noting
Democrats Get COVID-19 After Republicans Decline Masks - "At least six Republican members of Congress could be seen in video footage refusing to take a face mask while sheltering with their colleagues during the insurrection."


Mike DeBonis on Twitter: "NEW: House moving TONIGHT to fine members not wearing masks on floor, per sr Dem aide.
-$500 for 1st offense; $2,500 for 2nd
-Fines deducted from member pay; can't use campaign funds or member expense acct
-Fines for noncompliance in non-chamber House spaces under consideration" / Twitter
then
Rep. Pramila Jayapal on Twitter: "Exactly what needs to happen." / Twitter

 

[lpetrich]

Kaitlan Collins on Twitter: "In scripted remarks in Texas, President Trump says, "Free speech is under assault like never before. The 25th Amendment is of zero risk to me but will come back to haunt Joe Biden and the Biden administration. As the expression goes, be careful what you wish for."" / Twitter
then
Kaitlan Collins on Twitter: "After his defensive comments on threats to his power (some real and others, like the 25th, unlikely), Trump then goes on to say that "now is the time for our nation to heal. It's time for peace and calm." He says respect for law enforcement is the foundation of the "MAGA agenda."" / Twitter


Hemant Mehta on Twitter: "I'll believe Republicans are taking this seriously (and not just doing this for political expedience) when they pressure Hawley and Cruz and all the other insurrectionists to resign." / Twitter

Earl Blumenauer on Twitter: "I support @CoriBush's resolution to hold members of Congress accountable, but for some, it doesn’t go far enough.

Mo Brooks should be expelled for inciting the insurrectionists and I’m signing on to that one as well." / Twitter


Kyle Griffin on Twitter: "Breaking. House Republican Conference chair Liz Cheney: "I will vote to impeach the President."" / Twitter
then
Ilhan Omar on Twitter: "She is getting off the sinking ship, hopefully others join her for the sake of our country." / Twitter

 

[SLD]

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/YVDJqipoohc[/YOUTUBE]

They shouldn’t have blocked their faces. If that guy really was in the military, I think we need to know. Screw getting permission.