Having promised “significant new information” that was “explosive,” I think the Jan. 6 Select House Committee failed as badly as the Robert Mueller report that was expected or was hoped to handcuff President Donald J. Trump to Russia.
It failed to do that and allowed Trump to falsely claim that he had been exonerated from obstruction.
Testimony pretty much proved that the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers arrived ready for trouble, and maybe even the invasion of the Capitol.
But we also learned the Proud Boys headed for the Capitol before the president spoke and had began plotting days earlier.
If that is true, how can Trump be accused of initiating the violence, especially when his actual words talked about peaceful protest?
I am not here to defend Trump. Far from it.
I am here to see if there is evidence that links him to the violence, and I didn’t see that Thursday. Maybe that will come later.
What the hearing did prove was that Trump lost the 2020 election and a number of people around him, including his attorney general and his daughter, told him so.
Yet he persisted in lying, which is nothing new for him.
The most compelling testimony came from Capitol Police Officer Caroline Edwards, who was seriously injured in fighting the mob.
But nothing she said had anything to do with Trump.
There was video testimony from rioters who said they were there because they were invited by the president.
Yes, he invited them to a protest rally, not to launch an insurrection. His “invitation” did not suggest violence. Nor do his remarks about “fighting” for your beliefs, which is standard political hyperbole.
Some are making a big deal of Trump said the protest “will be wild,” as if “wild” means violence.
For a man of Trump’s age, “wild” means exciting, and he is given to wild exaggeration.
On Jan. 6, once the riot began, Trump did nothing to stop it. That is on him. Also his stupid, off-hand remark that maybe Vice President Mike Pence deserved to be hanged. If we almost never believe anything Trump says, we can’t start believing him with that remark.
The committee made reference to a seven point plan to overturn the election, but that was narrative, and not evidence.
The committee will have several more hearings to make its case.
I know Trump haters will delude themselves into believing the hearing was a slam dunk. To a fair-minded “juror,” it was not.
For the love of all that is holy, can we retire the word ‘insurrection’. It is absolutely ridiculous. It was a half assed, poorly planned protest attended by a handful of knuckleheads. The hundreds of riots all over the country after the guy in Minnesota died were a thousand times worse.
Fair point. Mostly it was a riot.
“Insurrection” maybe doesn’t quite fit. But there ought to be a word or words differentiating types of riots. We have riots after sports events. There are prison riots. There are, in other countries, bread riots. There are riots when adoring fans are kept out of an already full venue of their favorite performer. Some riots are no more than issue-less rage–that is there is no goal, political or practical.
In other words, I think the word “riot” is much like the word “homicide.” It does not tell us a lot about the seriousness of the crime. Premeditated and planned homicide is murder. Homicide “in the heat of passion” is considered less serious, and reckless and dangerous behavior causing death less serious than that. There is even “justifiable homicide” (i.e. self-defense) although, in my view, there is no category of rioting that is justifiable.
I think calling something an “insurrectionist-riot” would be appropriate where there is literally an attack on government (as opposed to law and order generally) such as, say, burning down a police station or storming the capital to stop the lawful transfer of power.
“Riot” is indisputable. “Riot-Insurrection” is a mouthful. In my view, the committee’s unstated mission is to “convict” Donald J. Trump. I have no use for Trump, but I do have use for the idea of one being innocent until proven guilty.
I don’t know if the word “insurrection” is 100% accurate, but this half-assed whatever-you-wanna-call-it had a purpose, and that purpose was to try to prevent the peaceful transfer of power. Call it what you want, but it was a wholly anti-American, anti-Democratic action. That much is undeniable.
That may be true, and it “may” be true that Trump organized it, but the committee must PROVE that. It failed to “blow the roof off the house” last week. I will be watching Monday night.
We shall see. I believe it will be very, very difficult for them to prove it legally because our orange hero is a careful, practiced, expert, life-long liar who knows how far he can go and what he can and cannot get away with saying. I wish them the best of luck, though, and I will also be watching.
I disagree he is a careful liar. He is an impulsive and compulsive liar. As you suggest, the conviction bar is high. Some around him may be provably guilty, howwver.
still HAPPY THURSDAY !!!
well pallie,
I got to hand it to you again. You ARE a man of your word. You try to stay in the middle and I would say that that is what you did with this report.
First. I give you credit for putting the best face forward. Officer Caroline Edwards. I can’t agree with her testimony, but I won’t condemn her either. I don’t know how many concussions I have had, but I do know that I have had one too many. I doubt that Officer Edwards had a concussion. She got teargassed. Congrats ! Who threw it ? The cops or a rioter ?
As for President Trump. The vanquishing committee showed him at his worst. I would still prefer Trump to biden any day – any time.
What tonight’s episode did for me, is show me that there was rioting taking place. The people doing damage just screwed up MY property and they should pay. It’s one thing to get caught up in the moment and ‘storm the castle’, then walk around like you own the place. It’s quite another matter if from the start, your intentions were to do physical damage to life and limb. That would be the proud boys and their team mates, the oath keepers.
It should be obvious to everyone, that the dimocrats are bring their findings out now, in hoping to get some help for the upcoming election. Is this the dims’ idea of standing up for your party’s platform ?
see ya at the next dog and pony show,
Tony
Edwards was hit with bicycle rack, knocked over backwards and cracked her head on a marble step before she was teargassed.
As to the political nTire, no comment. EVERYTHING is political.
Thanks for your ooiniin that I am honest,
I would say that Edwards, along with her team, got knocked on their butts with the bike rack, not ‘hit’. As for the marble step. First she hit the guard rail, then slid down to the step. I know that I have a pretty thick skull. ( many people think that I am ‘hard headed’, but that’s another topic ) I would rather bounce off of marble than concrete or granite. Been there and done that more than once.
Since we both watched the same movie, she was gassed at another local, along with other team mates trying to hold the line.
I am not playing down her work or that of the police. I certainly am not condoning riots or lawlessness, regardless of who, what, when or where.
Tony
Emphyzemic alcoholic says what? It’s Time to call it quits when Christine Flowers is lapping up your phlegm.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful analysis.
I am happy to see you took this topic on.
First, I am not a Trump fan, nor a Biden fan. I do align more with some of Trumps policies, but not all. I believe that many people in this country fall into this category.
I believe Biden, won but with the assistance of looser voting regulations that were made due to Covid. I believe they were necessary, but possibly done without proper protocol. However, the situation called for decisive and timely action. The changes may have resulted in illegal voting and we can make the necessary changes to voting laws to correct any type of illegal voting.
As an American I backed my president and was encouraged by his inauguration speech. However, he has not followed through on his words which is not really a surprise to me. He began his campaign with a lie and he continues to perpetuate that lie. He is no different than Trump in that area. The fact that Trump, spoke of fine people during the Charlottesville incident, is extremely important and also speaks to January 6, 2021.
People have the right to protest, and the fact that someone is present at a protest that turns violent does not Indicate that the individual is guilty of the crimes committed by the mob. Trump tried to make that distinction and Biden uses that partial quote to lie to this country.
The reason, I cite this is there were nice people at the rally, misinformed maybe, passionate most likely and some that were gullible enough to break the law. The same can be said for Charlottesville, or any major city during the George Floyd, “mostly peaceful protests” or riots, including Philadelphia. When you break a law you should be held accountable, when you passionately protest and then go home, there is nothing to be accountable for, even if your opinion is wrong, you are living in the United States of America.
Last night, we saw evidence of two groups of individuals that possibly attempted to take over our Capital, they need to be held accountable. In a court of law. We also saw a former President and possible future Presidential Candidate, speak to a passionate crowd and directing them to the Capital. This man needs to be accountable to the voters in this country. The gullible followers also need to be held accountable in a courtroom if necessary. What we saw last night is Not a court of law, we saw a dramatization of an event, a one-sided collage of video, sound bites and testimony arranged to support a narrative of this event.
We need to keep this in mind and understand that last night was Theater.
I will leave with this example, after filmmaker Nick Quested, testified of an estimated crowd of about 200 people, Chairman Thompson summarized his testimony as a crowd of 250-300 people.
Was not the frustration with the emerging mail in ballot abuse (ala 2000 Mules) part of the angst animating Trump and fueling the 1/6 rioters? It was not all due to the electoral process.
Does anyone trust any facet of government any longer? Hasn’t the actions of government over the past 50 years or so destroyed our faith in the systems in place? Do we trust the tax system? The voting system? The immigration system? The military? The courts?
HAPPY FRIDAY !!
Vince,
You are correct. Sorry to say, we lived the times that you are talking about. As my wife says to me, “people have been living the lie for so long that they don’t know the truth when they here it.”
This is why my battle cry is, DRAIN THE SWAMP ! and VOTE THEM ALL OUT !.
Sure, there are a few good politicians, but there are no statesmen or stateswomen. Big difference in terms. Politicians, regardless of party are going to take care of each other – not the public.
Should there be a politician that is voted out under my thoughts, if they’re still concerned about America, they can run again for office.
Tony
Your reply to the heinous comment by F. Josephs above was perfect!
While I disagree with many opinions you may have I respect both you and Ms. Flowers.