;)
The Commentariat -- January 8, 2021
Late Morning/Afternoon Update:
Lisa Mascaro, et al., of the AP: "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday she has spoken to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff about preventing ... Donald Trump from initiating military actions or a nuclear strike. Pelosi said in a statement to colleagues that she spoke with Gen. Mark Milley 'to discuss available precautions for preventing an unstable president from initiating military hostilities or accessing the launch codes and ordering a nuclear strike.' She said, the situation of 'this unhinged President could not be more dangerous.'"
Kyle Cheney, et al., of Politico: "House Democrats are moving quickly toward impeaching ... Donald Trump as early next week, a reflection of the seething outrage that remains over his incitement of deadly riots inside the U.S. Capitol. Timing remains in flux and Speaker Nancy Pelosi has yet to make a decision on exactly how to proceed, including whether to pursue a constitutional process that could remove Trump without impeachment. Top Democrats are still in talks with all their members and will hold a caucus-wide call at noon. But they are expected to decide today on their next steps, according to several lawmakers and aides." The Washington Post's story is here.
Jack Date, et al., of ABC News: "A U.S. Capitol Police officer has died following injuries suffered in the violent siege on the building Wednesday, according to a press release from the department.... The officer, Brian D. Sicknick, died at 9:30 p.m. Thursday, police said. Sicknick responded to the riots and 'was injured while physically engaging with protesters,' USCP said in a statement. 'He returned to his division office and collapsed. He was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.'... The U.S. attorney's office in D.C. has opened a federal murder investigation into Sicknick's death, three law enforcement sources confirmed to ABC News. The investigation is being conducted jointly between the FBI and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, with cooperation from U.S. Capitol Police. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has ordered the flags at the Capitol to be flown at half-staff in Sicknick's honor." The New York Times' story is here.
Marianne Levine of Politico: "During a press conference in Delaware, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), told reporters that Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) 'should resign,' according to WBOC, one day after a group of Trump supporters staged a deadly insurrection in the U.S. Capitol.... Since the insurrection, Cruz and Hawley are facing a backlash from their colleagues, who are accusing them of inciting violence by casting doubt on the results of the 2020 election."
Jonathan Lemire & Zeke Miller of the AP: "... Donald Trump said Friday he won't attend President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20, undercutting his message a day earlier that he would work to ensure a 'smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power' to his successor. Trump offered no clues for how he would spend his final hours in office, and will be the first incumbent president since Andrew Johnson to skip his successor's swearing-in. Traditionally, the incoming and outgoing presidents ride to the U.S. Capitol together for the ceremony, as a symbol of the nation's peaceful transition.... Vice President Mike Pence was expected to attend the inauguration.... By [Friday] morning..., Trump was back to his usual division. Instead of offering condolences to the police officer who died from injuries sustained during the riot, Trump took to twitter to commend the 'great American Patriots' who'd voted for him. 'They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!' he tweeted." ~~~
~~~ Marie: Also, I heard on the teevee that real Presidents Obama, Bush & Clinton will attend Biden's inauguration. I just don't think Trump belongs to this club.
The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Friday are here.
Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar & Zeke Miller of the AP: "President-elect Joe Biden will release most available COVID-19 vaccine doses to speed delivery to more people, a reversal of the Trump administration policy, his office said Friday. 'The president-elect believes we must accelerate distribution of the vaccine while continuing to ensure the Americans who need it most get it as soon as possible,' spokesman T.J. Ducklo said in a statement. Biden 'supports releasing available doses immediately, and believes the government should stop holding back vaccine supply so we can get more shots in Americans' arms now.' Under the Trump administration's approach, the government has been holding back a supply of vaccines to guarantee that people can get a second shot, which provides maximum protection against COVID-19. Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines require a second shot about three weeks after the first vaccination. One-shot vaccines are still undergoing testing."
The New York Times' live business updates for Friday are here: "The already sputtering economic rebound went into reverse in December, as employers laid off workers amid rising coronavirus cases and waning government aid. U.S. employers cut 140,000 jobs in December, the Labor Department said Friday. It was the first net decline in payrolls since last spring's mass layoffs, and though the December loss was nowhere near that scale, it represented a discouraging reversal for the once-promising recovery. The U.S. economy still has about 10 million fewer jobs than before the pandemic began. The December losses were heavily concentrated in leisure and hospitality businesses, which have been hit especially hard by the pandemic."
~~~~~~~~~~
President-elect Joe Biden on the domestic terrorists who mobbed the Capitol Wednesday, on Trump's instigation of the riots, and on Merrick Garland, whom Biden has nominated for attorney general:
~~~ Eleanor Mueller & Tyler Pager of Politico: "President-elect Joe Biden has picked Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, a former top union leader, to serve as his Labor secretary, according to four sources, ending a selection process that split the labor movement and stoked diversity concerns among Democrats." ~~~
~~~ Tyler Pager, et al., of Politico: "President-elect Joe Biden has selected Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo to serve as secretary of Commerce, according to two people familiar with the decision. Biden has also tapped longtime aide Don Graves as deputy Commerce secretary and California official Isabel Guzman to lead the Small Business Administration, a source familiar with the matter said. Raimondo, who impressed the Biden team when she was considered to be Biden's running mate, was also in contention to run the Treasury Department and the Department of Health and Human Services." The New York Times story is here.
The Last Days of the Mad Kaiser
Sarah Ferris, et al., of Politico: "Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday called for Vice President Mike Pence to immediately initiate the removal of ... Donald Trump, declaring him a seditious threat to the country who can't be trusted to finish even the last two weeks of his term. Pelosi's extraordinary statement, a day after Trump-inspired mobs ransacked the Capitol, lends significant weight to a mounting Democratic effort to oust Trump, either by impeaching him for the second time or pressuring Pence and Cabinet officials to invoke the 25th Amendment process.... Pelosi said if Pence did not take action, Democrats could quickly act to remove Trump from office, and did not rule out canceling next week's planned recess and bringing the House back into session.... Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also called on Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment Thursday and said Congress should move to impeach if that did not happen. He also said Congress should include an impeachment charge that declares Trump can never run for office again. Pelosi and Schumer tried to reach Pence by phone earlier Thursday to urge him to invoke the 25th Amendment but were never patched through...." ~~~
~~~ Speaker Pelosi and I tried to call the vice president this morning to tell him to do this. They kept us on hold for 25 minutes and then said the vice president wouldn't come on the phone. So we are making this call public because he should do it and do it right away. -- Chuck Schumer, at a Thursday afternoon news conference ~~~
~~~ Maggie Haberman of the New York Times: "Vice President Mike Pence is opposed to a call by Democrats in Congress and some Republicans to invoke the 25th Amendment to strip President Trump of his powers before his term ends, a person close to the vice president said.... The decision by Mr. Pence is said to be supported by several Trump cabinet officials. Those officials, a senior Republican said, viewed the effort as likely to add to the current chaos in Washington rather than deter it." ~~~
~~~ Kayla Tausche of CNBC: "As ... Donald Trump stood idly by with violent protesters ransacking the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, at least two of his top officials and closest allies conferred with staff about the possibility of invoking the 25th Amendment. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin held informal conversations within their own agencies about the contours of the 25th Amendment, the invocation of which would begin a process to remove Trump from office, according to three sources familiar with the matter. The arguments against pursuing action, according to the sources, were manifold. First, the legal process itself was estimated to take more than a week, negating any immediate effect it would have.... Second, it was unclear whether the three secretaries serving in 'acting' roles without Senate confirmation would be able to cast a vote. Third, they had concerns that forcing Trump from office could further stoke tensions among his base and make him a hero of the far right, doing more bad in the long term than good in the short term." ~~~
~~~ Katelyn Polantz, et al., of CNN: "Inquiries about invoking the 25th Amendment have been coming into Vice President Mike Pence's advisers and those discussions have been under way, a source close to the vice president said Thursday, with several Cabinet secretaries informally discussing the matter.... Chiefs of staff of federal departments have also been calling each other to discuss the possibility.... But it is 'highly unlikely' that Pence would pursue that path at this point, the source said.... However, two Cabinet secretaries have called fellow members of the Cabinet to take their 'temperatures' about demanding a Cabinet meeting with ... Donald Trump to confront him about his behavior, three senior administration officials told CNN. The two Cabinet secretaries discussed the possibility of demanding the President deliver a public address committing to a peaceful transfer of power, which Trump did Thursday evening in a pre-recorded video.... A White House adviser in discussions with senior officials said Trump only recorded the video because his presidency is currently threatened by looming resignations and potential impeachment." More on the hostage video in the WashPo's live updates below. MB: And, as the CNN report -- as well as the WashPo report linked directly below -- indicate, Trump's recorded message is a true hostage video, one that Trump made under pressure to save the last weeks of his presidency*.
Philip Rucker, et al., of the Washington Post: "President Trump spent more than 24 hours after instigating a mob to violently storm the Capitol trying to escape reality. Cloistered in the White House, Trump raged uncontrollably about perceived acts of betrayal. He tuned out advisers who pleaded with him to act responsibly. He was uninterested in trying to repair what he had wrought. And he continued to insist he had won the election.... Only after darkness fell in Washington on Thursday, after the Capitol had been besieged by death and destruction and a growing chorus of lawmakers had called for his immediate removal from office, did Trump grudgingly accept his fate.... During his 2-minute, 41-second speech [Thursday night], Trump read from a script that he agreed to only after a pressure campaign from Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, legal counsel Pat Cipollone and members of his family, officials said.... Some of [the staff] who stayed on kept their distance from the vengeful president, and none stepped forward to defend his complicity in the attack -- not even White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, his professional defender.... One administration official described Trump's behavior as that of 'a total monster.' Another said the situation was 'insane' and 'beyond the pale.' 'He is alone. He is mad King George,' said a Republican in frequent touch with the White House."
Trump Watch. Jonathan Swan of Axios: "Some top remaining administration officials are preparing to resist any unlawful or dangerous orders in the closing days of Trump's presidency, senior administration officials with direct knowledge of the sensitive conversations tell Axios.... After Trump incited protesters to storm the Capitol on Wednesday, there's a near universal view among top officials that he is unfit and unhinged, these sources said.... While several senior officials have already resigned in disgust since the riots..., there has been a heavy behind-the-scenes push to urge other top national security officials to stay on as a bulwark against emboldened U.S. enemies."
Murdoch's Winger WSJ Editorial Board Suddenly Notices Trump Should Resign. Joseph Choi of the Hill: "The Wall Street Journal editorial board said Thursday that the 'best case' for President Trump would be for him to resign from office amid calls for his removal following the violent attacks on the Capitol on Wednesday.... The Journal, in an op-ed published Thursday evening stated that Trump was too late in his attempts to call off the rioters. 'When some in the crowd turned violent and occupied the Capitol, the President caviled and declined for far too long to call them off. When he did speak, he hedged his plea with election complaint,' it stated. 'This was an assault on the constitutional process of transferring power after an election. It was also an assault on the legislature from an executive sworn to uphold the laws of the United States.' These actions, the board stated, were 'impeachable.'"
The Washington Post's live updates of transition developments Thursday are here: ~~~
Donald Makes a Hostage Video. "In a video message released Thursday evening, more than 24 hours after mobs of his supporters besieged the U.S. Capitol in a shocking insurrection, President Trump denounced and tried to distance himself from the attack in his name.... Reading off a script in a flat voice, Trump claimed [MB: falsely] he immediately deployed the National Guard to help secure the building and expel the intruders. Other officials have disputed that account. Trump also claimed [MB: falsely] his attempts to overturn the election results were simply his efforts to 'ensure the integrity of the vote.' Nevertheless, the video appeared to be the closest Trump has come to formally conceding to Biden. 'Now, Congress has certified the results, and a new administration will be inaugurated on January 20th. My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power,' Trump said.... [The New York Times' story is here.]
"Trump briefly called in to the Republican National Committee's winter meeting Thursday morning -- and received a loud and overwhelmingly enthusiastic reception when RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel put him on speakerphone, according to people in the room. 'We love you!' some in the room yelled....
"House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, said Thursday that Trump should be removed from office and that if Pence does not oust him by invoking the 25th Amendment, he would back 'immediate impeachment' of the president.....
"Trump's attorneys have voluntarily dismissed five lawsuits pending against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, but they may have exposed themselves to court sanctions by falsely claiming in their filings that the request for dismissal was the result of a settlement agreement with Raffensperger (R). In a sharply worded response to one of the filings, Raffensperger's attorneys -- Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr as well as private counsel -- emphasized that there was no settlement agreement. They also noted that Trump and his attorneys probably violated the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct by calling Raffensperger last weekend without first contacting his attorneys of record in the cases....
"The White House fired a State Department official after he tweeted that Trump's actions endangered the United States and he should leave office immediately, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter. The official, Gabriel Noronha, tweeted Wednesday that Trump 'fomented an insurrectionist mob that attacked the Capitol today. He continues to take every opportunity to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power.... These actions threaten our democracy and our Republic. Trump is entirely unfit to remain in office, and needs to go,' Noronha said. He added that Biden won the 2020 election and that all U.S. officials had the duty to uphold the Constitution....
"The chairs of five House committees sent a letter Thursday to FBI Director Christopher A. Wray requesting a briefing on the agency's efforts to investigate the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. In the letter, the committee chairs demanded to know what steps the FBI is taking 'to investigate and pursue for prosecution the instigation, planning, and execution of the deadly terrorist attack on the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, by President Donald Trump, his supporters, and outside groups, as well as to disrupt any further activity designed to attack our government.'...
[Transportation Secretary Suddenly Throws Trump Under the Bus.] "Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao will resign from her post, making her the first Trump administration Cabinet member to leave after the president incited a mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. Chao is the wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and has served in the Cabinet all four years of the Trump presidency. She told others of her decision early Thursday afternoon, according to two individuals familiar with her plans.... In her message [to department staff], Chao said her resignation would take effect Monday. She said she and the staff would help her announced successor in the incoming Biden administration, Pete Buttigieg, 'with taking on the responsibility of running this wonderful department.'...
[Former AG Suddenly Realizes Trump Is a Mob Organizer.] "Former attorney general William P. Barr, who had been one of Trump's most loyal and effective Cabinet secretaries and, for a time, supported his claims of possible voter fraud, condemned Trump on Thursday for his incitement of the previous day's violence at the Capitol. 'Orchestrating a mob to pressure Congress is inexcusable,' Barr said in a statement released through his former spokeswoman. 'The president's conduct yesterday was a betrayal of his office and supporters.'...
"Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) has conceded to Raphael Warnock in their Senate race that most networks called Tuesday night for Warnock. In a video message released late Thursday afternoon, Loeffler said she had called Warnock earlier in the day to congratulate him and wish him well in serving Georgia."
Katie Benner & Michael Levenson of the New York Times: "A United States Capitol Police officer has died of injuries sustained in Wednesday's violent protests in Washington, two law enforcement officials confirmed on Thursday, one day after the police were overwhelmed by a pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol and disrupted Congress. The officer is the fifth person whose death has been linked to Wednesday's mayhem. One protester was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer inside the building, and three others died after experiencing medical emergencies, officials have said. The officer, whose name was not immediately released, had been hit with a fire extinguisher, the two law enforcement officials said. But it was not clear if the blunt force had killed him; a chemical agent may have led to his death, one of the officials said." ~~~
~~~ Update. New Lede: "A United States Capitol Police officer who was seriously injured during violent protests in Washington remained hospitalized on Thursday night, one day after the police were overwhelmed by a pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol and disrupted Congress." ~~~
~~~ Kristin Wilson, et al., of CNN: "A Capitol Police officer is on life support Thursday night after a mob of ... Donald Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol a day before, according to Capitol Police union chair Gus Papathanasiou. CNN reported Thursday evening, citing three sources, that the officer had died. One of CNN's sources said that Capitol Police officers were gathered and told that the officer had passed away. Papathanasiou told WUSA -- a local Washington, DC, television news station -- that the officer died. Later Thursday, the Capitol Police released a statement stating no officers had died as a result of Wednesday's riot. Papathanasiou retracted his statement to WUSA and told CNN the officer was still on life support." ~~~
~~~ Emily Cochrane of the New York Times: "Three top security officials on Capitol Hill are stepping down a day after a mob of pro-Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, congressional leaders said on Thursday. Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California announced during her weekly news conference that Paul D. Irving, the House sergeant-at arms, intended to resign from his position, and Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, said Thursday evening he had accepted the resignation of Michael C. Stenger, the Senate sergeant-at-arms. News of Mr. Stenger's resignation came after Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, said he would fire Mr. Stenger as soon as Democrats took the majority. Steven Sund, the Capitol Police chief, will also leave his position on Jan. 16 after Ms. Pelosi called for his resignation, saying 'Mr. Sund, he hasn't even called us since this happened.' Mr. Sund, in his letter of resignation, said he would use his remaining paid sick leave — 440 hours, about 55 days -- after departing." ~~~
~~~ Colleen Long, et al., of the AP: "Three days before supporters of ... Donald Trump rioted at the Capitol, the Pentagon asked the U.S Capitol Police if it needed National Guard manpower. And as the mob descended on the building Wednesday, Justice Department leaders reached out to offer up FBI agents. The police turned them down both times, according to senior defense officials and two people familiar with the matter. Despite plenty of warnings of a possible insurrection and ample resources and time to prepare, the Capitol Police planned only for a free speech demonstration. Still stinging from the uproar over the violent response by law enforcement to protests last June near the White House, officials also were intent on avoiding any appearance that the federal government was deploying active duty or National Guard troops against Americans. The result is the U.S. Capitol was overrun Wednesday and officers in a law enforcement agency with a large operating budget and experience in high-security events protecting lawmakers were overwhelmed for the world to see.... The actions of the day also raise troubling concerns about the treatment of mainly white Trump supporters, who were allowed to roam through the building for hours, while Black and brown protesters who demonstrated last year over police brutality faced more robust and aggressive policing."
Education Secretary Suddenly Notices There's a Mess to Clean Up. Joseph Choi of the Hill: "Education Secretary Betsy DeVos tendered her resignation to President Trump on Thursday, making her the latest in a line of senior officials to exit following the riot at the Capitol on Wednesday.... 'We should be highlighting and celebrating your Administration's many accomplishments on behalf of the American people,' DeVos wrote to Trump. 'Instead, we are left to clean up the mess cause[d] by violent protestors overrunning the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to undermine the people's business. That behavior was unconscionable for our country. There is no mistaking the impact your rhetoric had on the situation, and it is the inflection point for me.'" MB: Betsy, of course, is not sticking around to clean up the mess. She doesn't do housework. I think she & Elaine Chou are leaving so they can avoid consideration of invoking the 25th Amendment.
Former Chief-of-Staff Suddenly Notices Trump is Dangerously Crazy. Rachel Elbaum of NBC News: "... Donald Trump's former acting chief of staff and current special envoy to Northern Ireland Mick Mulvaney on Thursday said he has resigned from his post after pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol. 'I called [Secretary of State] Mike Pompeo last night to let him know I would be resigning from that. I just can't do it. I can't stay,' Mulvaney said in an interview with CNBC.... 'Those who choose to stay, and I have talked with a couple of them, are choosing to stay because they're concerned the president might put someone in to replace them that could make things even worse,' Mulvaney said." (Also linked yesterday.)
Katie Benner of the New York Times: "The Justice Department said on Thursday that it would not rule out pursuing charges against President Trump for his possible role in inciting the mob that marched to the Capitol, overwhelmed officers and stormed the building a day earlier. 'We are looking at all actors, not only the people who went into the building,' Michael Sherwin, the U.S. attorney in Washington, told reporters. Mr. Sherwin was asked whether such targets would include Mr. Trump.... Mr. Sherwin said he stood by his statement. 'We're looking at all actors,' he said. 'If the evidence fits the elements of a crime, they're going to be charged.' His comments were an extraordinary invocation of the rule of law against a president who has counted on the Justice Department to advance his personal agenda...." MB: Yo, Michael, better review those speeches by Rudy & Junior, too. CNN's story is here. ~~~
~~~ From the Haberman & Schmidt story on Trump's plan to pardon himself, also linked below: "As aides urged Mr. Trump to issue a strong condemnation on Wednesday and he rejected that advice, the White House counsel, Pat A. Cipollone, warned Mr. Trump that he could face legal exposure for the riot given that he had urged his supporters to march to the Capitol and 'fight' beforehand, according to people briefed on the discussion. The president had appeared to White House aides to be enjoying watching the scenes [of terrorism] play out on television." MB: Four people died in the melee, a Capitol Police officer is on life support, people around the world were horrified, and Trump thought it was all fun teevee. ~~~
~~~ Irony of the Day. Evie Fordham of Fox "News: "Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen vowed that pro-Trump rioters who entered the U.S. Capitol would 'face the full consequences of their actions under the law,' and those consequences could include being charged under President Trump's executive order authorizing up to 10 years in prison for 'injury of federal property.'... The order directs the Department of Justice to 'prosecute to the fullest extent permitted under federal law' those who vandalize government property. Federal law allows 10 years in prison as a maximum punishment for such vandalism. 'I just had the privilege of signing a very strong Executive Order protecting American Monuments, Memorials, and Statues - and combatting recent Criminal Violence,' Trump wrote on Twitter on June 26. 'Long prison terms for these lawless acts against our Great Country!'" MB: It would be terrific if one of the charges brought against Trump was inciting "injury of federal property."
A.J. Willingham of CNN: "As images and social media posts of Wednesday's insurrection at the US Capitol circulate online, some of those who were present are being identified, and some have lost or left their jobs because of it."
Jim Acosta of CNN: "On Tuesday, [Vice President] Pence came under intense pressure from Trump to toss out the election results during a meeting that lasted hours in the Oval Office. The vice president's chief of staff, Marc Short, was banned by Trump from entering the West Wing, [a] source said, as the President repeatedly warned with 'thinly veiled threats' to Pence that he would suffer major political consequences if he refused to cooperate.... 'Rudy [Giuliani], [Mike] Meadows and their teams have been trying to set up the vice president to take the fall as opposed to admitting they laid out false hope in all of this,' the source said. 'Trump just can't admit defeat and wants a scapegoat,' the source added.... Several of the violent Trump supporters who were rampaging the US Capitol were heard screaming 'where's Mike Pence,' the source said, frightening the vice president and his family. Yet, the President and his top aides barely lifted a finger to check in on Pence to make sure he and his family were unharmed, the source added."
Michael Schmidt & Maggie Haberman of the New York Times: "President Trump has suggested to aides he wants to pardon himself in the final days of his presidency, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions, a move that would mark one of the most extraordinary and untested uses of presidential power in American history. In several conversations since Election Day, Mr. Trump has told advisers that he is considering giving himself a pardon and, in other instances, asked whether he should and what the effect would be on him legally and politically, according to the two people.... Mr. Trump has shown signs that his level of interest in pardonin himself goes beyond idle musings. He has long maintained he has the power to pardon himself, and his polling of aides' views is typically a sign that he is preparing to follow through on his aims.... Legal scholars ... agree a presidential self-pardon could create a dangerous new precedent for presidents to unilaterally declare they are above the law and to insulate themselves from being held accountable for any crimes they committed in office." CNN's story is here.
Randi Richardson of NBC News: "Michelle Obama chastised ... Donald Trump over Wednesday's riots at the Capitol, calling him 'infantile and unpatriotic' before delivering an emotional critique of how police responded to the mob as compared to this summer's Black Lives Matter protests.... Obama also addressed the law enforcement response, which she suggested would have been far stronger if the rioters were Black. 'What if these rioters had looked like the folks who go to Ebenezer Baptist Church every Sunday?' she said. 'What would have been different?... Seeing the gulf between the responses to yesterday's riot and this summer's peaceful protests and the larger movement for racial justice is so painful,' she added. 'It hurts. ... in city after city, day after day, we saw cracked skulls and mass arrests, law enforcement pepper spraying its way through a peaceful demonstration for a presidential photo op.' Obama compared athletes kneeling during the national anthem ... to Wednesday's 'unpatriotic' scene, saying it 'made it painfully clear that certain Americans are, in fact, allowed to denigrate the flag and symbols of our nation. They've just got to look the right way.'"
Paul Krugman: "Donald Trump ... is indeed a fascist -- an authoritarian willing to use violence to achieve his racial nationalist goals. So are many of his supporters. If you had any doubts about that, Wednesday's attack on Congress should have ended them. And if history teaches us one lesson about dealing with fascists, it is the futility of appeasement.... But even those who didn't actively join his attempts to stage a coup tried to let Trump and his followers down easy.... One senior Republican said to The Washington Post, 'What is the downside for humoring him for this little bit of time?' Well, now we know the answer.... What we know [about Wednesday's attack on the Capitol] suggests that the people who were in charge of protecting Congress failed to do so because they didn't want to be seen treating the MAGA mob as the danger it was.... If you imagine that the people who stormed the Capitol will just go away once Biden is installed in the White House, you're delusional.... Appeasement is what got us to where we are. It has to stop, now."
Trump Banned from Facebook for Remainder of Presidency. Rebecca Heilweil & Shirin Ghaffary of Vox: "... on Thursday, Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company would be indefinitely suspending Trump's ability to post on the platform. Zuckerberg said that Trump would be barred from posting on Facebook and Instagram for at least the next two weeks, the remainder of his presidency." (Also linked yesterday.)
Backbenchers' Brawl. Timothy Bella & Lateshia Beachum of the Washington Post: "An impassioned speech from Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Pa.) nearly sparked an early morning fistfight between two other House lawmakers during the debate over Pennsylvania's electoral votes. Lamb said the GOP objectors to Joe Biden's presidential election win didn't need to 'strip this Congress of its dignity' any more after pro-Trump rioters attacked the Capitol on Wednesday.... Rep. H. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) ... raised a point of order and attempted to have his colleague's words struck from the record. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) refused.... As Lamb continued to talk, a scrum reportedly broke out between a few Republicans and Democrats, away from cameras' view. About a dozen lawmakers cleared their benches to intervene...."
Sabrina Tavernise & Matthew Rosenberg of the New York Times: "... what comes into focus in the storming of the Capitol is a jumbled constellation of hard-core Trump supporters: a largely white crowd, many of them armed with bats, shields and chemical spray; some carried Confederate flags and wore costumes of fur and horns inspired by QAnon.... Their number included a 60-year-old gun rights activist from Arkansas who was pictured sitting in Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, men in tactical gear taking selfies in the Rotunda and a woman carrying a QAnon-inspired sign about children in the House chamber.... The group included some well-known figures from the conspiratorial right, including Jake Angeli, who has pushed the false QAnon claims that Mr. Trump was elected to save America from deep-state bureaucrats and prominent Democrats who worship Satan and abuse children.... There were also leaders from the Proud Boys.... Chris Hood and members of his National Socialist Club, a neo-Nazi group, posted photos on Telegram from outside the Capitol on Wednesday.... The mob came from the broader crowd, tens of thousands of Mr. Trump's most loyal supporters...." ~~~
~~~ Joseph Fitsanakis of Intel News: "The mob that ransacked the Capitol was disordered, leaderless, and appeared to have no coordination, or even direction. However, the broader militant movement that it represents is evolving very rapidly. If left unchecked, it will be able to turn its weaknesses into strengths and spell major trouble ahead for the already stormy waters of American politics. The nation's law enforcement and security agencies must therefore prepare for a period of widespread insurrection.... Broadly speaking, political commentators seem to regard the assault on the Capitol as a blundering catastrophe for the Trump movement.... Many of its members self-identify as nationalist revolutionaries, and will welcome the storming of the Capitol as the opening shots of what they see as the second American Revolution. Wednesday's events marked the first time that the Capitol was ransacked by assailants since the War of 1812. The symbolism of this act ... will galvanize and inspire the militant wing of the Trump movement." --s ~~~
~~~ Among the Perps. Eddie Burkhalter of the Alabama Political Reporter: "Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall plays a critical role in the group that helped organize the protest and rally that preceded the riots, attack and attempted insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. Marshall leads the Republican Attorneys General Association's dark-money nonprofit Rule of Law Defense Fund, which is listed as a participating organization for the March to Save America on the march's website, as are the groups Stop the Steal, Tea Party Patriots and Turning Point Action. The website is now down, but archived versions show RLDF as a participating group.... Prior to the protest, RLDF sent out robocalls detailing when and where citizens should meet, which was first reported by Documented.... Marshall on Wednesday issued a statement condemning the violence at the Capitol but did not mention his role leading a group that helped organize the march.... In a statement to APR after this story published, RAGA's executive director Adam Piper said neither RAGA nor RLDF was involved with the planning of the rally and seemed to place the blame on staff." ~~~
~~~ Jeremy Peters of the New York Times: "... many of [Donald Trump's] most vocal and visible allies in Congress, the media and conservative politics still could not bring themselves to fault him for the surreal and frightening attack carried out by people he had just urged to 'fight like hell.' They downplayed the violence as acts of desperation by people who felt lied to by the news media and ignored by their elected representatives. They deflected with false equivalencies about the Democratic Party's embrace of the Black Lives Matter movement. Some even tried to dispute the fact that Trump supporters were actually the perpetrators, suggesting that far-left activists had infiltrated the crowd and posed as fans of the president.... [The excuses] came from some of his highest-profile allies who helped enable his rise in the Republican Party and have aided him in his unrelenting assault on anyone who questions his actions.... On the floor of the House late Wednesday evening, Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida blamed saboteurs 'masquerading as Trump supporters' for the violence...." ~~~
~~~ Sara Fischer of Axios: "The right's favored media -- conservative TV, websites and social networks -- offered an alternate reality in which everyone but pro-Trump rioters were to blame for the mayhem at the Capitol. Here's the version of events a good chunk of America got: Instead of condemning the pro-Trump mobs that stormed Washington, right-wing media outlets mostly blamed left-wing activists, the media, Vice President Pence -- and even police officers -- for the riots that some suggested were the start of a 'civil war' in America. Hosts on Fox News, One America News Networ and Newsmax went so far as to baselessly suggest that the unlawful protestors at the Capitol may have been members of Antifa.... Tucker Carlson ended the monologue at the top of his Fox News show by saying: 'We got to this sad, chaotic day for a reason. It is not your fault. It is their fault.'... Even when it became obvious that the riots were becoming destructive, right-wing networks downplayed the severity of events, calling those marching on the Capitol mostly peaceful protestors." (Also linked yesterday.)
Josh Loses a Book Deal. Elizabeth Harris & Alexandra Alter of the New York Times: "Simon & Schuster said on Thursday that it would cancel the publication of an upcoming book by Senator Josh Hawley, one of several members of Congress who tried to overturn the results of the presidential election. Mr. Hawley, a Missouri Republican and Trump ally, has been criticized for challenging the results and accused of helping incite the mob that stormed the Capitol on Wednesday. His book, 'The Tyranny of Big Tech,' was scheduled to be published in June. 'We did not come to this decision lightly,' Simon & Schuster said in a statement. '... we take seriously our larger public responsibility as citizens, and cannot support Senator Hawley after his role in what became a dangerous threat.'" Politico's story is here. MB: What an irony that Little Lord FloutTheLaw had the gall to accuse somebody else of "tyranny." (Sorry, but every time I see a picture of Hawley, I can't help but see an 18th-century fop wearing a powdered wig & tight breeches & decorating his face with powder, rouge & a fake beauty mark.) ~~~
~~~ Tony Messenger of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Former U.S. Sen. John C. Danforth ... criticized his protégé [Sen. Josh Hawley], a fellow Yale Law School graduate. He called Hawley's plan [to challenge the Electoral College votes in states Joe Biden won] 'radical' and dangerous.... 'Supporting Josh and trying so hard to get him elected to the Senate was the worst mistake I ever made in my life,' Danforth said in a phone interview Thursday afternoon." MB: Actually, no, John. The worst mistake you ever made in your life -- as far as I know -- was avidly promoting Clarence Thomas to be elevated to a seat on the Supreme Court. Hawley can be voted out; Thomas has been desecrating the nation for decades, and he ain't done yet.
The Trumpidemic, Ctd.
The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Thursday are here: "Dr. Anthony S. Fauci ... predicted on Thursday that the daily death toll from the coronavirus would continue to rise for weeks to come, and counseled patience with the vaccination program gearing up across the nation. Hours later, officials across the United States reported yet another daily record for deaths, over 4,000. The total for the pandemic in the U.S. has surpassed 365,400. In an interview with NPR, Dr. Fauci said high toll was likely to continue, and was probably be a reflection of increased travel and gatherings over the holidays.
"As Americans were transfixed by the spectacle of the Capitol under siege, the coronavirus continued to sweep across the United States. Officials reported at least 3,963 new coronavirus deaths in the United States on Wednesday, a new single-day record, though delayed recording because of the holidays might have played a role. The daily death toll in New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania also set records. Some states also reported single-day case records, while Illinois became one of five states that have now recorded their millionth case since the pandemic began." (Also linked yesterday.)
Janny Scott of the New York Times: "Neil Sheehan, the Vietnam War correspondent and Pulitzer Prize-winning author who obtained the Pentagon Papers for The New York Times, leading the government for the first time in American history to get a judge to block publication of an article on grounds of national security, died on Thursday at his home in Washington. He was 84." ~~~
~~~ "Now It Can Be Told." Janny Scott: "There was one story Neil Sheehan chose not to tell. It was the story of how he had obtained the Pentagon Papers, the blockbuster scoop that led to a 1971 showdown between the Nixon administration and the press, and to a Supreme Court ruling that is still seen as a milepost in government-press relations. From the moment he secured the 7,000 pages of classified government documents on the Vietnam War for The New York Times, until his death on Thursday, Mr. Sheehan ... declined nearly every invitation to explain precisely how he had pulled it off. In 2015, however, at a reporter's request, he agreed to tell his story on the condition that it not be published while he was alive. Beset by scoliosis and Parkinson's disease, he recounted, in a four-hour interview at his home in Washington, a tale as suspenseful and cinematic as anyone in Hollywood might concoct.... Recounting the steps that led to his breaking the story, Mr. Sheehan told of aliases scribbled into the guest registers of Massachusetts motels; copy-shop machines crashing under the burden of an all-night, purloined-document load; photocopied pages stashed in a bus-station locker; bundles belted into a seat on a flight from Boston; and telltale initials incinerated in a diplomat's barbecue set. He also revealed that he had defied the explicit instructions of his confidential source, whom others later identified as Daniel Ellsberg...."
Share Article
Reader Comments (27)
Betsy Devos has now shown her chicken feathers and resigned. 25th better happen soon while there are still enough cabinet secretaries to pass it.
Yo, Forrest Morris, your neighbor is coming home. Maybe you'll want to be a good neighbor & plow her driveway or dust off the yacht or something.
The Trump treason enablers are decamping faster than rats deserting those famous sinking ships, all trying to paint themselves as patriots after all. That part where we set the Constitution on fire, took our clothes off, rolled in its ashes and vowed eternal boot licking fealty to the Orange Menace? We were only kidding.
And among the preeningest rats is one Lindsey Graham, brave Sir Lindsey, man of the people, defender of the faith and noble warrior for something-something democracy, just like the founders. A reg’lar James Madison.
Brave Sir Lindsey, casting a manly pinkeye toward the 25th amendment sez he will strongly consider it...
If something else happens.
Something else? You mean besides inciting a mob of violent thugs to attack congress, plant pipe bombs, break into the Capitol building and wreak general havoc, causing deaths and attempting a coup to try to hand an election to their Dear Leader after he lost by many millions of votes? Something besides that?
Oh boy, that Donald Trump...I used to shine his shoes with my butt and kiss his feet, but if he tries one more thing! Just one! I might have to consider thinking about whether or not I should be doing something.
So what else Lindsey? Killing someone? Yanking babies out of their mothers’ arms and locking them in cages? Working with Russia against the United States? Committed multiple acts of treason? Oh, wait. He’s already done all of that.
So what? Forgetting to flush after a giant turd-a-thon? Making you rent your own golf cart? Short-sheeting your bed? Double dipping in the French onion dip?
What else do you need?
Jesus, these fucking people.
Ms. Betsy likely looked at the calendar, saw she had less than two weeks left in her term and decided that since she'd already done all she could to screw up American education she might as well leave now and take a well-deserved, hard-earned vacation.
The poor thing must be exhausted.
Elaine Chao, aka Mrs. Despicable Turtle, must have gotten the word from McConnell that now that he was no longer going to be able to tilt the table in their direction, having lost control of the Senate, and considering the fact that Fatty’s autogolpe fell flat, their days of EZ Grift were over, at least until they can come up with some other weasel scheme, so she might as well jump ship with the other rats.
The 25th amendment thing may have played a role in Chao and DeVos skedaddling, but knowing what a craven coward the half-pence is, there’s a better chances of Trump releasing his tax returns than mommy’s little mikey doing the right thing. Chiselers like Chao and DeVos know when the grift is screeching to a halt. It’s a dry hole now. Might as well find a new scam. Otherwise, they might have to find an honest job! Oh no! Not that!
Mitt Romney is being lauded as a truth teller these days, but we have to remember that his campaign for president was a clear pathway to the current house of cards. Take a trip in the way-back machine. It all seems so quaint:
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/chronicling-mitts-mendacity-vol-xli
@Marie: Sorry, but I have more pressing matters, like watching paint dry. Betsy is at her island home and all of her driveways have electric ice melt. She could use that for her icy demeanor.
@Forrest Morris: Yeah, I kinda figured that on the driveways. I need to have a new driveway installed here later this year or next year, and when I've asked about under-driveway electric ice melt, I get a blank stare. Apparently New Hampshirites think you're a wuss if you don't get out there and shovel -- or at least push around a honking big ole noisy snowblower.
Some days I don't like to think too hard or too long. It hurts my head.
Today is one of those days.
So, just sitting, running scenes of the past four years and earlier, maybe back to Bush II's 2000 "election" past my mind's eye, not thinking mind you, just noting the images as they flow past, paying most attention to fresher more recent events like this week's invasion of the Capitol by armed yokels, and the D. C. protests following the deaths of black people killed by police, the brown children in cages, but also remembering the Pretender's failed impeachment, he and his cronies puffed up with arrogance and awash in money, back a little further to the vile racist reaction to Obama's election portrayed on Tea Bagger's signs, to the passel of unprosecuted and unpunished bankers and insurance executives who destroyed the economy in 2007, and to the shock and awe brought to us by Cheney and Rumsfeld which did shock but surely not awe me...
There is more, but they're not necessary. That's enough, for even without needing to think anything, I've drawn a conclusion. It wasn't hard.
It's a conclusion in pictures.
It was and it still is all about white privilege isn't it?
AS THE SHIT HITS THE FAN:
Scamper, scamper quickly before you, too, are pressed up against the wall of outrage. Resign, voice your horror at what has taken place and get out while the gettin's good and try to convince yourself that your fealty to Fatty was otherwise.
And I wonder: Do all those invaders that followed orders to storm up the Capitol steps, break in, terrorize, plunder, ready to shoot if necessary, realize that their leader doesn't love them–-doesn't give a rat's ass about them and is using them as fodder for his own sick maneuvers. Well, shucks, some will say, there was no directive to plant bombs in the DNC and RNC headquarters!–– the lack of imagination here staggers the mind.
When the man at the rallies told the crowd of proud boys to "punch the hell out of em–kick em out! go ahead–-I'll pay for your get out of jail ticket." He lied. His whole presidency has been a lie and we have paid the price along with those that fostered him. For all those that will end up in jail (we hope) will they wake up to the fact that their ticket wasn't and would never be paid? Will certain Congress critters lament their lack of integrity? Will they lose their purchase in congress and back home? And finally if Fatty gets finished by the 25th or another impeachment will he curl up like soiled pages in an old book or be a comeback kid on a new network––OR he might just be one of those orange suited dudes along with the ones who he told to stand by and stand, strong.
Read in the local rag this morning that two women from CT. were arrested having been part of the D.C. rampage and will be prosecuted here.
P.S. @Marie: Absolutely agree about Danforth!!!
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/08/arts/television/trump-mob-resignations-jimmy-fallon.html?action=click&module=Features&pgtype=Homepage: “Resigning with two weeks left feels less like some moral stand and more like leaving early to beat traffic,”. If you do a little checking, Elaine Chou and her daddy have perfectly manicured wiki pages. Their respective immigrant stories are too perfect. Daddy was a sailor (smuggler) and Elaine's been buffing her story for decades. I bet they were part of the 1/10 of 1% that got out ahead of the communists. The smart rich know when to flee; whether now or back in history.
@Marie, some wealthy homeowners in my area have installed hydronic (hot water) systems to keep their driveways clear of snow and ice. Some have separate boilers to heat the water which is circulated through PEX tubing in the pavement. Propylene glycol antifreeze is added to the water to lower its freezing point. Others simply bury a large coil of tubing below the frost line to take advantage of the near constant temperature of the ground at that depth. Some supplement the system with an electric heat pump hot water heater to raise the water temperature as needed. The up-front cost for installation may be higher than for a pure electric system, but the long-term operating costs can be lower.
Re: John Danforth, it’s worth remembering that when Poppy Bush was casting about for a running mate he rejected Danforth in favor of idiot Dan Quayle. How’s that for a fried potatoe?
When his career ran out of bullshit, he played the usual face saving R card: going to spend more time with the family. He said something like “47 years ago I married the girl of my dreams. I’m going home to spend time with her!” Yeah, if you can remember what she looks like. Party of Family Values. And now treason. And Danforth sent us one of the worst.
Ok. You can die now. You fucked this country enough.
Freaking crazy! I listened to Gov. Hogan last night on Maddow talk about how Trump's people and the Secretary of Defense, or the people around him, waited an hour and half before giving Maryland permission to send in their Guard. Only after it was obvious that the massacre wasn't going to happen by Trump's cult on Wednesday did they allow someone to give the order to allow the National Guard to come in and clean up in the aftermath.
There is a lot of talk today about Trump self pardonning himself. Joe Biden should sign Executive Orders on day one that say a President can not pardon himself and another one that says No one is above the law. Make it official. Even if Trump tries to pardon himself I believe Biden can still undermine Trump's weak legal argument and help Donald get a free ill fitting orange suit of his very own.
@RAS: CNN legal analyst Elliot Williams was on this morning & said if Trump self-pardons, he will be inviting indictment. As Williams explained it, anyone can issue any statement s/he wants, but until a court tests it, it's meaningless. Therefore, it will take a federal prosecutor to indict Trump for something; then, Trump will say, "You can't do that; I pardoned myself!" And a judge (or a series of judges) will decide. So go head, Trumpkopf & tell us you pardoned yourself. Hell, I hereby pardon myself, too, for every damned thing I ever have done or ever will do.
BTW, CNN is reporting that White House counsel Pat Cipollone is "considering" resigning toot sweet. My guess is that it's because he's definitely not gonna draw up a document that says, "I hereby pardon Donald Trump for any and all crimes heretofore or hereinafter committed." Signed by Me, Myself and I Donald J. Trump.
One important part of any upcoming impeachment trial (and don’t worry, confederates will find a way not to impeach this monster), is the ability of congress to rule that the offending party can never again run for office. This would make the whole thing worthwhile. Of course it would make Fatty a martyr in the eyes of his delusional, violent followers and sycophants, but so what? This ruling will also curtail his ongoing scam of raising money to run again in 2024. He’ll have invent some other lie to gull the rubes and pick them clean.
@Marie: I understand the arguments about the self-pardon, but I don't trust the current Supreme Court to make the correct legal ruling. It should be an easy open and shut case, but our right wing judges twist their arguments to suit their own preferences (or their benefactors) at every turn. Also I would just like to see the prosecutor wave the legal opinion of a Real President in their faces that says "A President (especially Donald J. Trump) cannot pardon themself" to all the Confederates on the Court.
Not that anyone needs to see more cell phone videos of the coup attempt, but there's many more now compiled by Tom Sullivan on https://digbysblog.net/ titled "You might be a head case". Four decades of education failure on display.
He cannot pardon himself for the same reason that you can not be the judge at your own trial. You can defend yourself against prosecution, but you can not render a verdict. That should be fundamental and inviolable. It seems absurd to me that it this is even considered. But, maybe Alan Dershowitz will step up and take the case. Go Alan!
As I sit in my prison cell (a bedroom, actually--)I have had the teevee on pretty much nonstop since Wednesday. I think the ladies bolting the administration simply don't want a vote on the 25th on their records. None of the escapees are noble, or smart, or respectable. All of them are self-serving a**-kissing nonvictims of this whole debacle. I don't want to hear about them or see them ever again. They should retreat to their respective caves, counting their money. The reports are that the general, criminal public has not changed their tunes. No one can be trusted at at this point. I must say, I thought there might be trouble, but I did not expect a Capitol invasion. I figured maybe some things are sacred to everyone, but I am dead wrong. Now, people need arrests and imprisonments, and Ted Cruz exported to whatever island he chooses. Poor dear Hawley thinks he has been denied his rights...well, he tried hard to deny mine, defended ably by Conor Lamb. Today, our rep Smucker's email is crashed, so I called him and of course no one is answering. Left nasty message. He went on to object like the other traitors.
I don't understand why the previous impeachment, which provided removal as an "option" can't be invoked, and removal facilitated...is it because there are papers signed in the Senate denying his January 2020 removal? Oh founders, why didn't you address this?
Yeah, noble Danforth. Back to your cave, loser...
Meanwhile, I have lost my taste and smell, as warned. It is weird.
Looking forward to leaving incarceration in some days...
Jeanne,
I must respectfully disagree with your suggestion that Tailgunmer Ted (and please tell me what his wife thinks about him inserting his tongue as far as it will go up the fat, fetid ass crack of a misogynistic scumbag who called her ugly) be allowed to depart for his island of choice. I want to send this treasonous anal cyst to one of those tiny desert islands you used to see in New Yorker cartoons, 12 square feet of pebbles and volcanic sand with a single wretched palm tree and hungry, medieval-clawed crabs looking for lunch.
This article has people who know security pointing out suspiciously large gaps in security Wednesday:
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-attempted-coup-federal-law-enforcement-capitol-police-2021-1
Perhaps one result of the last 4 years (at least) could be the retirement of the cliches "That's not who we are". and "only in America"
@NiskyGuy: I'll skip the conspiracy theories and accept Joy Reid's explanation of white supremacy at work in America.
@Cowichan
Good to hear from you.
My wife and I agree with you (and Joy Reid) about your first point.
My wife is not so sure about your second. Kinda depends on what you think that one means.
Seems to me that racism and ethnic conflict is pretty near everywhere...
If the phrase means only the U. S. has avoided those pitfalls, we have over two hundred years of history to prove you right.
I think calling the rioters at the Capitol "terrorists" is a very bad idea. If you call them terrorists, the response you get will be "counterterrorism," and that's not what we need. We already have far too much of it. According to what I've read, there are already at least two legal task forces issuing indictments and warrants 24/7, with rioters being arrested and arraigned. That's the way to go.