The Commentariat -- January 12, 2021
Late Morning/Afternoon Update:
Marianne Levine of Politico: "Soon-to-be Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed Tuesday to move forward on coronavirus relief and confirming President-elect Joe Biden's Cabinet nominees, even as the chamber is expected to soon face an impeachment trial.... Schumer is calling on the Senate to return immediately after the House sends over the article of impeachment, citing the use of emergency authorities granted to Senate leaders in 2004. But that would require buy-in from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) who has told his caucus the trial wouldn't begin until Jan. 19 at the earliest absent a unanimous consent agreement." MB: I watched the part of Schumer's press conference that was televised. He said McConnell's assertion that convening the Senate this week required unanimous consent was not true. Schumer also said he wanted everyone who breached the Capitol building to be placed on the no-fly list. ~~~
~~~ AND now for some important news from TMZ on Schumer's press briefing: "Senator Chuck Schumer just said Donald Trump sounds exactly like a dictator, but his words were drowned out by a crazy protester who threatened that Trumpers are going to his home and [Nancy] Pelosi's to take care of business. The woman was off the rails, screaming she and her flock would descend on Pelosi's home to destroy her vineyards. She compared Schumer to Hitler, ranting as she said she fully supports the insurrectionists. She says she was 'sexually excited' to see Schumer and other Democrats flee from the riot." MB: I should just get all my news from TMZ & quit messing with these other media outfits like the NYT & WashPo. ~~~
~~~ So Then There's This. Jonathan Martin & Maggie Haberman of the New York Times: "Senator Mitch McConnell, 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.... 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.... 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.' [on the article of impeachment]... On Monday, [President-elect] Biden telephoned Mr. McConnell to ask whether it was possible to set up a dual track that would allow the Senate to confirm Mr. Biden's cabinet nominees and hold a Senate trial at the same time.... Far from avoiding the topic of impeaching Mr. Trump, Mr. McConnell said it was a question for the Senate parliamentarian, and promised Mr. Biden a quick answer."
"Totally Appropriate." Quint Forgey of Politico: "... Donald Trump on Tuesday defended as 'totally appropriate' the speech he made at a rally last week that was followed by his supporters launching a deadly siege of the Capitol. In his first live remarks since the violence last Wednesday, Trump deflected blame and sought to highlight other politicians' comments last summer about protests against racial injustice and police brutality. 'If you read my speech..., it's been analyzed, and people thought that what I said was totally appropriate,' Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews, en route to Alamo, Texas. 'And if you look at what other people have said -- politicians at a high level &-- about the riots during the summer, the horrible riots in Portland and Seattle and various other places, that was a real problem, what they said,' Trump continued. 'But they've analyzed my speech and my words and my final paragraph, my final sentence, and everybody -- to the tee -- thought it was totally appropriate.'... Speaking outside the White House earlier Tuesday, Trump condemned Hous Democrats' efforts to impeach him a second time, saying it was a 'continuation of the greatest witch hunt in the history of politics.... I think it's causing tremendous anger.'..." MB: Wherein "totally appropriate" is analagous to "a perfect call." ~~~
~~~ The New York Times posts a banner headline over live updates of impeachment developments on the main page of its online edition that reads, "Trump Shows No Contrition for Inciting Mob, Calling Remarks 'Appropriate'." From the current top story in the updates (12 noon ET), "Mr. Trump's defiance came despite near universal condemnation of his role in stoking the assault on the Capitol, including from within his own administration and some of his closest allies on Capitol Hill. Earlier, he asserted that it was the impeachment charge, not the violence and ransacking of the Capitol, that was 'causing tremendous anger.'" ~~~
<>~~~ MSNBC is refusing to play video Trump's remarks so as not to inspire more violence. ~~~~~~ Tony Romm of the Washington Post: "President Trump lashed out at Silicon Valley on Tuesday in his first public comments since Twitter banned him from the site, stressing the industry had done a 'horrible thing for our country and to our country.' The president told reporters that the social-media sites had made a 'catastrophic mistake' and acted in a politically 'divisive' manner after punishing the president for comments last week the companies said threatened to incite violence.... Trump renewed attacks come as House Democrats plan to ramp up their scrutiny of Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. Party lawmakers in recent days have faulted tech giants for acting too slowly to stop Trump's online rhetoric from precipitating real-world chaos."
Devlin Barrett & Matt Zapotosky of the Washington Post: "A day before rioters stormed Congress, an FBI office in Virginia issued an explicit internal warning that extremists were preparing to travel to Washington to commit violence and 'war,' according to an internal document reviewed by The Washington Post that contradicts a senior official's declaration the bureau had no intelligence indicating anyone at last week's pro-Trump protest planned to do harm. A situational information report approved for release the day before the U.S. Capitol riot painted a dire portrait of dangerous plans, including individuals sharing a map of the complex's tunnels, and possible rally points for would-be conspirators to meet up in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and South Carolina and head in groups to Washington.... It was not immediately clear how many law enforcement agencies outside the FBI were told, but the information was briefed to FBI officials at the bureau's Washington field office the day before the attack, this official said.... On Friday, the head of the FBI's Washington Field Office, Steven D'Antuono, told reporters 'there was no indication' of anything planned for the day of Trump's rally 'other than First Amendment-protected activity.'" ~~~
~~~ Marie: Biden has indicated he intends to keep Chris Wray -- a Trump appointee -- on as FBI director. Wray has some explaining to do as to why D'Antuono lied to the public and what actions he took or will take regarding the FBI's failures surrounding the attack on the Capitol. ~~~
~~~ Update. Marie: Steven D'Antuono of the FBI & Michael Sherwin of the DOJ gave a briefing Tuesday afternoon about the Capitol insurrection. There aren't any stories up on it yet (4:20 pm ET). When a reporter asked D'Antuono why he had said earlier that there was no indication before Jan. 6 of any planned violence, he just reiterated the crux of the intelligence from the Norfolk FBI office & said the info was shared with appropriate officials. So a non-answer. I'll get up a news story ASAP. ~~~
~~~ Update: Harper Neidig of the Hill: "The Department of Justice is working to build sedition and conspiracy charges against some of the rioters who stormed the Capitol last week, the top federal prosecutor for Washington, D.C., said Tuesday. Michael Sherwin, the acting U.S. attorney for D.C., said in a press conference that he has assembled a team of national security attorneys to explore some of the harshest charges his office could pursue in the wake of the riot that overran the Capitol.... 'Their only marching orders from me are to build seditious and conspiracy charges related to the most heinous acts that occurred in the Capitol.' Sedition charges can carry prison sentences of up to 20 years. Sherwin said Tuesday that prosecutors have now charged more than 70 cases following the riot and the FBI has opened investigations into more than 170 people.... At the press conference, Steven D'Antuono, the head of the FBI's Washington field office, defended the bureau's actions during the lead-up to the riot.... '... the FBI cannot open an investigation without a threat of violence or alleged criminal activity,' D'Antuono said. '... And in this case, we had no indication, information was linked to any specific person, but that this is a matter of an online discussion.... This information was immediately disseminated through a written product, and briefed to our command post operations to all levels of law enforcement.'..."
Alex Gangitano of the Hill: "A growing list of companies are cutting off donations to politicians who opposed the Electoral College results, targeting the 147 Republican members of the House and the Senate who voted against affirming President-elect Joe Biden's victory. Republican lawmakers attempted to challenge the results of Arizona and Pennsylvania, two swing states Biden won, during and after a violent and deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.... Here are the companies that have temporarily stopped giving to members who opposed the election results[.]"
Anita Kumar & Daniel Lippman of Politico: "... Donald Trump is not expected to mount a forceful White House defense against charges he incited last week's deadly riots inside the U.S. Capitol, according to a White House official. Trump knows he;s unlikely to be removed from office with Republicans controlling the Senate until next week and only a few days left of his term. The president has also grown increasingly isolated, distrusting the same aides and advisers he had relied on during prior crises in his presidency, including White House Counsel Pat Cipollone.... Since Dec. 23, the schedule has included 15 variations of the language: 'President Trump will work from early in the morning until late in the evening. He will make many calls and have many meetings.' A former White House official said the language was inserted at Trump's directive in order to give off the appearance of him being busy." ~~~
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any state, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. -- Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, Section 3 ~~~
~~~ If the Senate Fails to Convict. John Nichols of the Nation outlines how Congressional Democrats can apply the 14th Amendment to keep Trump from ever holding elected office again. Firewalled. ~~~
~~~ ~~~Deepak Gupta and Brian Beutler, in a New York Times op-ed, agree: "The 14th Amendment gives Congress the power to enforce Section 3 through legislation. So Congress can immediately pass a law declaring that any person who has ever sworn to defend the Constitution -- from Mr. Trump to others -- and who incited, directed, or participated in the Jan. 6 assault 'engaged in insurrection or rebellion' and is therefore constitutionally disqualified from holding office in the future.... And Congress can do this by a simple majority -- far less of a hurdle than the two-thirds majority in the Senate that removing the president requires.... This option also has power that the impeachment process lacks. As we learn more in the coming months about who is culpable for the siege, the ranks of those disqualified from office will likely swell.... Make no mistake: This was an insurrection. The 14th Amendment disqualifies its instigators from public office, whether the president is convicted in a Senate trial or not." ~~~
~~~ That Could Include These Guys. Ryan Grim & Aída Chávez of the Intercept: "The head of the House Freedom Caucus, Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, helped plan the January 6 event that culminated in a storming of the Capitol, according to Ali Alexander, a lead organizer of the gathering. Alexander, a pro-Trump personality, was an early founder of the 'Stop the Steal' movement, and helped bring together various right-wing factions around a mass event on January 6, aimed to coincide with objections to the counting of Electoral College votes. Alexander made his claim in three separate livestreams in late December, adding that Reps. Paul Gosar of Arizona and Mo Brooks of Alabama were also involved. 'We're the four guys who came up with a January 6 event,' Alexander said." MB: Planning a protest march & planning an insurrection are two different things; the question is, did the Congressmen & Alexander cross the coup line?
Donald Trump Did This. Peter Hermann & Julie Zauzmer of the Washington Post: "More than 58 D.C. police officers and an unknown number of U.S. Capitol Police officers were injured in the hours-long riot and assault on Wednesday as lawmakers were formalizing the election victory for Joe Biden as president.... The number of injuries suffered by police as they attempted to fend off supporters of President Trump who seized the U.S. Capitol last week runs long. They include swollen ankles and wrists, bruised arms and legs, concussions and irritated lungs.... An officer was hit with a bat. Another was struck with a flagpole. A third was pinned against a statue. A fourth was clobbered with a wrench. One became stuck between two doors amid a frenzied mob. Many were hit with bear spray.... One Capitol Police officer died in circumstances that remain unclear.... D.C. police said Monday that one District officer remained hospitalized. They described many of the injuries as sprains and bruised arms and legs, but many others appear far more serious and caused by repeated blows from sticks, poles and clubs and laser pointers shined into officers' eyes. The Capitol Police, which had 1,400 officers at the building, also have members who suffered injuries.... Eva M. Malecki, a spokeswoman for the agency, said injuries ranged from concussions to scrapes and bruises. She said no Capitol Police officers remain hospitalized."
Yes, That Was an Attempted Coup. Fiona Hill in Politico Magazine: "Trump disguised what he was doing by operating in plain sight, talking openly about his intent. He normalized his actions so people would accept them. 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.... 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." Hill runs through "a standard coup 'checklist' analysts use to evaluate coups" MB: I hope impeachment managers run through Hill's explanation & the facts she includes to back up her assertion. They form a convincing argument of Trump's malevolent intent & actions. Thanks to unwashed for the link; I did intend to get to linking this earlier yesterday.
Nihal Krishan of the Washington Examiner: "A handful of Big Tech companies moved to take down social media platform Parler over the weekend, but it appears to have found a new company to help try to keep its website running. On Monday, Parler registered its domain and server to be hosted by Epik, an internet webhosting company known for working with right-leaning websites. Gab, another social media platform popular with conservatives, also uses Epik. A web domain search shows that Parler is now registered with Epik. Epik put out a statement on Monday claiming it had no discussion of providing future services to Parler. Epik did acknowledge, however, that Parler was 'working on satisfying the requested terms placed upon them.' Epik also defended Parler and said that it was being unfairly treated in comparison to its larger competitors Twitter and Facebook, which create an 'undeniable double standard' when it comes to their policing and enforcement of content."
Florida. CBS-4 Miami: "Federal wildlife authorities in Florida are looking for the person or persons who mutilated a manatee by carving the word 'Trump' onto its back. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the manatee was discovered Sunday in the headwaters of the Homosassa River in Citrus County, about 75 miles north of the Tampa Bay area.... Manatees are protected by the Endangered Species Act and it is a federal criminal offense to harass the gentle sea cows punishable by a $50,000 fine and up to one year in prison."
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We're at ones & twos today: 1/12/21. Marie: Got kind of a late start this morning, with some links posted after 9 am ET. I'll post more at about 10:30 am ET.
Natasha Korecki of Politico: "President-elect Joe Biden's transition team is expected to make a major push on Tuesday that calls on Republicans to swiftly confirm the president-elect's national security picks so they're in place when the Democrat takes office next week. Amid fallout from the deadly riots at the U.S. Capitol, Biden officials and congressional allies will begin making the case Tuesday that there is a unique urgency in getting the positions filled as soon as possible so there is no gap in national security during a presidential transfer of power...." See related story, linked below, by Seung Min Kim of the WashPo.
Zolan Kanno-Youngs & Helene Cooper of the New York Times: "Law enforcement authorities, responding to threats of violence ahead of the Jan. 20 presidential inauguration, will deploy up to 15,000 National Guard troops to the nation's capital and set up checkpoints in the city to avoid the botched response helped rioters overrun the Capitol last week.... About 6,000 National Guard troops from six states have already arrived in Washington, Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, said Monday; by this weekend, that number is expected to have grown to 10,000.... Beyond the Capitol, the Secret Service is establishing a 'healthy, layered buffer' with vehicle checkpoints, metal detectors and additional security screenings to prevent another deadly siege.... With coronavirus cases soaring and the deadly siege of the Capitol still fresh, the leaders of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia issued a joint statement asking Americans to stay away from the inauguration of Joseph R. Biden Jr. and instead tune in virtually. The F.B.I. has notified local law enforcement of the potential for armed protests in all 50 state capitals, which are being organized and promoted by far-right extremist groups.... Sixteen groups -- some of them armed and most of them hard-line supporters of President Trump -- have registered to stage protests in Washington, prompting deep concern among federal officials about an event that has historically been a packed celebration of American democracy.&"
Matt Fuller of the Huffington Post: "Capitol Police briefed Democrats on Monday night about three more potentially gruesome demonstrations planned in the coming days.... The first is a demonstration billed as the 'largest armed protest ever to take place on American soil.' Another is a protest in honor of [MAGA cultist who got shot] Ashli Babbitt.... And another demonstration ... would involve insurrectionists forming a perimeter around the Capitol, the White House and the Supreme Court, and then blocking Democrats from entering the Capitol ― perhaps even killing them ― so that Republicans could take control of the government.... One topic of discussion was the need to put every member of Congress through a metal detector before the inauguration. A member on the call told HuffPost that there was an 'eyes-wide-open realization' that Capitol Police needed to take precautions against 'all these members who were in league with the insurrectionists who love to carry their guns.'" --s
Kevin Breuninger of CNBC: "Sheldon Adelson, the multibillionaire casino mogul and Republican Party megadonor, died Monday at age 87. This is breaking news." --s Update: The New York Times' obituary is here.
The Last Days of the Mad Kaiser
Scott Wong & Mike Lillis of the Hill: "A trio of House Democrats close to leadership on Monday introduced a single article of impeachment against President Trump, charging him with inciting a mob of his supporters to carry out a violent attack on the Capitol in a bid to overturn Joe Biden's election victory. The article, co-authored by Reps. David Cicilline (R-I.), Ted Lieu (Calif.) and Jamie Raskin (Md.), states that Trump engaged in high crimes and misdemeanors by 'willfully inciting violence against the Government of the United States.'... Upping the pressure on [Vice President] Pence and the Republicans, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) during Monday's brief pro-forma session requested that a Raskin's 25th Amendment resolution be passed by unanimous consent. That resolution calls on Pence to 'convene and mobilize' the Cabinet and vote to strip Trump of his powers. But Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.), a Trump ally, objected. After the exchange, Hoyer told reporters that the full House will stage a vote on the Raskin resolution on Tuesday. The impeachment vote could come as early as Wednesday, he said, but that timeline could slip later in the week." ~~~
~~~ Brian Naylor of NPR: "'Donald John Trump engaged in high Crimes and Misdemeanors by inciting violence against the Government of the United States,' the resolution argues, citing his false claims of election fraud in the months leading up to the riot -- which he repeated on Jan. 6 -- and a phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger where Trump urged him to 'find' votes to overturn the results there. The impeachment article says that during an address to supporters on Wednesday, Trump 'willfully made statements that, in context, encouraged -- and foreseeably resulted in -- lawless action at the Capitol, such as: "if you don't fight like hell you're not going to have a county anymore."'" The article includes the full text of the proposed resolution. ~~~
~~~ Seung Min Kim, et al., of the Washington Post: "The House on Monday barreled toward impeaching President Trump, while President-elect Joe Biden, scrambling to ensure the effort does not bog down the start of his tenure, pressed the Senate on whether it could simultaneously hold a trial of the president and pass urgently needed bills.... That rapid pace in the House prompted Biden to ask Senate officials whether the chamber could 'bifurcate' its schedule, so that his agenda and impeachment could be considered at the same time, while incoming majority leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) explored other, little-used ways of speeding up Senate action.... Biden has been particularly concerned about Senate confirmation for his Cabinet nominees, and he signaled Monday he was looking for a way around the traditional pace of an impeachment trial. 'Can we go half-day on dealing with the impeachment and half-day getting my people nominated and confirmed in the Senate?' [Biden asked]." ~~~
~~~ Marie: I'd like Mitch to explain why, when the Senate hasn;t confirmed a single one of Biden's Cabinet nominees, thought it would be a good idea to schedule a Senate recess the week before the inauguration. In the past, top Cabinet officials have been in place on Day 1. Mitch seems to think "Senator" is a taxpayer-funded sinecure for the privileged few to spend most of their time on vacation.
It's 10 pm ET Monday, and we have not heard from the Mad Kaiser since Friday.
Kevin Liptak & Kaitlan Collins of CNN: "On Monday, after an extended period of silence, Trump and Pence spoke for the first time after a deadly riot of Trump supporters broke out at the US Capitol with Pence inside, according to two administration officials.... Trump had spent the weekend largely in isolation, as aides either distanced themselves from him or limited their time in his presence. Trump canceled a planned trip to Camp David, where his closest aides were hoping he would get into a good mindset ahead of his final stretch in office. Instead, he spent the weekend stewing to his deputy chief of staff, Dan Scavino, and entered his final full week angrier than ever. The attempted insurrection that Trump incited at the US Capitol last week prompted the permanent suspension of his Twitter account, a looming second impeachment and a wave of administration resignations. But among the more significant repercussions had been the apparent collapse of Trump's relationship with Pence. Penc finally got 'a glimpse of POTUS' vindictiveness.'..." ~~~
~~~ ** Josh Dawsey & Ashley Parker of the Washington Post: "Vice President Pence was in hiding from a violent mob of Trump supporters in the Capitol last Wednesday when the presidential tweet attacking him posted. 'Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!' President Trump wrote at 2:24 p.m. Trump never called him that day or in the days following to make sure Pence was okay -- or to discuss a governmental response to the deadly riots president incited. The remarkable break between the two men -- played out over a tense few days as the country convulsed from a riot spurred on by the president -- is a startling capstone to a relationship long defined by Pence's loyalty and subservience. The vice president who once spent hours a day with Trump, defended some of his most incendiary comments and was careful to not speak ill of him -- even to his own closest advisers -- now seems to be largely estranged from him.... Pence was subjected to repeated phone calls from Trump, including one as late as last Wednesday morning -- and to implicit threats from the president that he would attack him if he didn't object to Biden's victory, officials said."
** Ashley Parker, et al., of the Washington Post: "... as senators and House members trapped inside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday begged for immediate help during the siege, they struggled to get through to the president, who -- safely ensconced in the West Wing -- was too busy watching fiery TV images of the crisis unfolding around them to act or even bother to hear their pleas.... The six hours between when the Capitol was breached shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon and when it was finally declared secure around 8 p.m. that evening reveal a president paralyzed -- more passive viewer than resolute leader, repeatedly failing to perform even the basic duties of his job.... The president ... was busy enjoying the spectacle. Trump watched with interest, buoyed to see that his supporters were fighting so hard on his behalf, one close adviser said.... At one point, Trump worried that the unruly group was frightening GOP lawmakers from doing his bidding and objecting to the election results.... This portrait of the president as the Capitol was under attack on Jan. 6 is the result of interviews with 15 Trump advisers, members of Congress, GOP officials and other Trump confidants...." If you have a subscription, read the whole report. The Raw Story has a summary report here. ~~~
~~~ Erin Banco & Asawin Suebsaeng of the Daily Beast: "... while Trump is increasingly isolated — and some aides hope, distracted -- some of the most important members of his administration are cleaning up loose ends, pursuing their personal agendas, and trying to keep Trump from sparking yet another crisis. One senior Trump administration official described the activity around the outgoing president as a prolonged act of 'babysitting' a 'violent toddler' that aides and chief advisers hope to get through in the next week without Trump triggering any more history-making disasters. Four other senior administration officials familiar with their conversations said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien, and Vice President Mike Pence have discussed continuity of government in recent days, including potential risks that face the country following the violence last week.... Those conversations have focused primarily on needing to continue operating as usual -- with one important distinction: The idea now is to do it with as little communication with the Oval Office as possible, those officials said."
Melanie Bids Us Farewell. Now Quit Picking on Her. Jamie Ross of the Daily Beast: "First Lady Melania Trump has identified the worst thing about the entire horrific [Trump-motivated Capitol insurrection] spectacle -- people saying mean things about her online. In a deeply weird and jarring farewell statement posted by the White House early Monday morning, Melania first paid tribute to those who lost their lives in last week's violence carried out in support of her husband, before going on to settle some scores against unspecified people who she claims have 'attacked' her over the past few days since the riots.... 'I find it shameful that surrounding these tragic events there has been salacious gossip, unwarranted personal attacks, and false misleading accusations on me -- from people who are looking to be relevant and have an agenda....'... She also seems to praise Trump's supporters.... 'It is inspiring to see that so many have found a passion and enthusiasm in participating in an election, but we must not allow that passion to turn to violence,' she wrote." MB: Could it be that Melanie's whole anti-bullying campaign was about not bullying her?
Rat ... Sinking Ship. ... Heat ... Kitchen. Nick Miroff of the Washington Post: "Acting homeland security secretary Chad Wolf abruptly resigned Monday, nine days before a presidential inauguration whose jittery security preparations are unfolding amid fears of worsening political violence following last week's mob attack on the U.S. Capitol.... 'Unfortunately, this action is warranted by recent events, including the ongoing and meritless court rulings regarding the validity of my authority as Acting Secretary,' Wolf's statement read. 'These events and concerns increasingly serve to divert attention and resources away from the important work of the Department in this critical time of a transition of power.' Peter Gaynor, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will take over as acting DHS secretary, Wolf said. Gaynor will be the agency's sixth chief under President Trump, twice the number to serve under any previous administration. Established in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the department was intended to reassure a nervous public by projecting stability and command. Several lawmakers have called for hearings to question why Wolf and DHS failed to anticipate threats posed by Trump's followers to Congress's electoral college certification on Jan. 6." An NBC News story is here.
Darryl Coote of UPI: "Rep. Pramila Jayapal said she has tested positive for COVID-19 after sheltering in a secured room of the U.S. Capitol with other lawmakers as supporters of ... Donald Trump sieged the building. The Washington [State] Democrat announced her diagnosis late Monday in a statement while chastising her Republican colleagues who 'recklessly refused to wear masks' as they sought refugee from the attack on the Capitol building on Wednesday.... 'Only hours after President Trump incited a deadly assault on our Capitol, our country and our democracy, many Republicans still refused to take the bare minimum COVID-19 precaution and simply wear a damn mask in a crowded room during a pandemic.' She said their actions created 'a super-spreader event on top of a domestic terrorist attack.'... Other lawmakers have tested positive following the siege, including Republican Reps. Jake LaTurner of Kansas on Thursday and Rep. Charles J. 'Chuck' Fleischmann of Tennessee on Sunday." ~~~
~~~Marie: Looks like Jake there is the superspreader guy. Besides infecting his fellow legislators with Covid, Jake voted with the insurrections against accepting Arizona's Electoral College slate (but not Pennsylvania's, according to the WashPo). Chuck there voted against accepting both Arizona's & Pennysylvania's results. ~~~
~~~ Clare Foran & Daniella Diaz of CNN: "Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a New Jersey Democrat, said Monday that she has tested positive for Covid-19, and she blamed fellow members of Congress who sheltered in place without masks during the violent attack on the US Capitol last week. 'Following the events of Wednesday, including sheltering with several colleagues who refused to wear masks, I decided to take a Covid test. I have tested positive,'" the congresswoman tweeted. A statement from her office said that the congresswoman 'believes she was exposed during protective isolation in the US Capitol building as a result of insurrectionist riots. As reported by multiple news outlets, a number of members within the space ignored instructions to wear masks.'... Six House Republicans were captured on video refusing masks offered by a colleague during the US Capitol insurrection." The Washington Post's story is here. MB: The House should censure all of the Congressmembers refusing masks. Coleman, BTW, is 75 years old & has at least one health risk condition. ~~~
~~~ Kerri Enriquez of CNN (Jan. 9): "Six House Republicans were captured on video refusing masks offered by a colleague during the US Capitol insurrection on Wednesday. Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Delaware Democrat, was shown approaching the group of colleagues and offering blue surgical masks. The video, shot from inside a safe room where the lawmakers gathered during the chaos, was published on Twitter by Punchbowl News. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene [QAnon], Oklahoma Rep. Markwayne Mullin, Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry, Texas Rep. Michael Cloud and California Rep. Doug LaMalfa were captured unmasked and gathered closely together. They all refused the masks." The video is included with the story. CNN's Manu Raju reports in commentary on the video that members of Congress are required to wear masks while in the Capitol building. One of the men refusing a mask can be seen smirking at Rochester, & several are smiling. They are sitting close together in a space where it appears from the video that it would be impossible for members to maintain social distance.
Even Kevin Gets (a Little) Religion. Juliegrace Brufke of The Hill: "House Minority Leader >Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told members of his GOP conference on a call Monday that the riot at the Capitol was not caused by antifa, urging lawmakers not to further spread misinformation about the pro-Trump mob that stormed the House and Senate last week.... The FBI said on Friday that it determined that no members of the left-wing movement antifa were involved in the storming of the Capitol." --s ~~~
~~~ Update. Jonathan Swan of Axios has the backstory: "President Trump on Monday privately -- and falsely -- blamed 'Antifa people' for storming the Capitol, even though clear video and documentary evidence exists showing the rioters were overwhelmingly Trump supporters.... McCarthy ... [told] the president: 'It's not Antifa, it's MAGA. I know. I was there,' according to a White House official and another source familiar with the call. The White House official said the call was tense and aggressive at times, with Trump ranting about election fraud and an exasperated McCarthy cutting in to say, 'Stop it. It's over. The election is over.' McCarthy, who is facing major blowback for his role in encouraging dissent over the election outcome, went further: He told Trump he should call Joe Biden, meet with the president-elect and follow tradition and leave a welcome letter in the Resolute Desk for his successor."
Behind the scenes: In a tense, 30-minute-plus phone call this morning with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Trump trotted out the Antifa line.
Catie Edmondson & Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: "... a handful of Mr. Trump's most loyal allies in the House ... urg[ed] their supporters to come to Washington on Jan. 6 to make a defiant last stand to keep him in power. They ... used inflammatory, bellicose language to describe the stakes. Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado [both QAnon gals]..., referred to the day as Republicans' '1776 moment.' Representative Paul Gosar of Arizona, who for weeks promoted the Jan. 6 protest and other 'Stop the Steal' events across the country more than a dozen times, repeatedly referred to Mr. Biden as an 'illegitimate usurper' and suggested that Mr. Trump was the victim of an attempted 'coup.'... [At 12:05 pm the day of the insurrection, Gosar posted a photo of the mob gathered at the ellipse & tweeted, 'Biden should concede. I want his concession on my desk tomorrow morning. Don't make me come over there.']... Their comments have raised questions about the degree to which Republicans may have coordinated with protest organizers. In a since-deleted tweet, Representative Pete Sessions, Republican of Texas, wrote that he 'had a great meeting today with the folks from Stop The Steal,' one of the leading groups that organized last week's rally." Other implicated Reps: Mo Brooks (Alabama) & Andy Biggs (Arizona). ~~~
~~~ WSFA Montgomery, Alabama: "A resolution has been filed in the U.S. House of Representatives that calls for the formal censure of Alabama U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Dist. 5, following the deadly Jan. 6 siege of the nation's Capitol. Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-NJ, and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-FL, filed the resolution, pointing to excerpts of a speech Brooks gave to a crowd of protesters shortly before many of them marched on the Capitol.... During the censure process, the representative in question is required to stand on the House floor while the resolution is read aloud in a public rebuke of their statements or actions. A censure does not include removal from office."
Not a Parody. Susan Collins in the Bangor Daily News: "The proceedings began calmly enough ... when, all of a sudden, the Capitol Police and staff from the Sergeant at Arms burst into the chamber and removed Vice President Mike Pence who was presiding. Shortly thereafter, the two Senate leaders were also rushed away. My first thought was that the Iranians had followed through on their threat to strike the Capitol.... [W]e were informed that we would be put on buses, which, it seemed to me, would make us sitting ducks had it been carried out.... [W]e were ushered out of the chamber ... with the police urging us to 'hurry, hurry!' (Unfortunately, I had chosen to wear high heels that day so it was hard to run.)... We were brought some salads, sandwiches and water.... The rest of the night I spent at [Lisa] Murkowski's home because I was worried about finding a parking space that late and about the violent extremists knowing where I live.... [H]er husband had built us a nice fire and had glasses of wine awaiting us." --safari: This fascinating recollection must be archived in the Library of Congress for generations to come. So proud.
Understanding Josh. Katherine Stewart in a New York Times op-ed: "Mr. Hawley's idea of freedom is the freedom to conform to what he and his preferred religious authorities know to be right. Mr. Hawley is not shy about making the point explicit.... 'That is our charge. To take the Lordship of Christ, that message, into the public realm, and to seek the obedience of the nations. Of our nation!'... The line of thought here is starkly binary and nihilistic. It says that human existence in an inevitably pluralistic, modern society committed to equality is inherently worthless.... That this neo-medieval vision is incompatible with constitutional democracy is clear.... Mr. Hawley ... is a successful meritocrat of the Federalist Society variety. His greatest rival in that department is the Princeton debater Ted Cruz. They are résumé jockeys in a system that rewards those who do the best job of mobilizing fear and irrationalism. They are what happens when callow ambition meets the grotesque inequalities and injustices of our age." Thanks to Ken W. & P.D. Pepe for the link.
"Nationwide Manhunt." Katie Benner & Adam Goldman of the New York Times: "The Justice Department and the F.B.I. have embarked on a nationwide manhunt to track down scores of people who attacked the Capitol last week, according to law enforcement officials, as they grapple with the fallout from the widespread government failure to protect the building. Investigators are pursuing more than 150 suspects for prosecution, a total that is almost certain to grow, an official said. Analysts are also scouring intelligence to identify any role that domestic terrorist organizations or foreign adversaries may have played in radicalizing Americans who were among the rioters, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigations.... Two Capitol Police officers have also been suspended, according to [Rep. Tim] Ryan [D-Ohio]]: one who was seen in photographs with rioters and another who walked among the crowds wearing a hat emblazoned with President Trump's 'Make America Great Again' campaign slogan. The Capitol Police have also opened internal inquiries into about 10 to 15 officers' actions during the violence...." A CNN story on officers suspended & under investigation is here.
Evan Hill, et al., of the New York Times: "The Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol building by a pro-Trump mob left a police officer and a rioter dead. More than 50 members of the U.S. Capitol Police were injured, including 15 who required hospitalization, most of them with head wounds, according to Representative Tim Ryan, Democrat of Ohio. Of all the scenes of violence, one of the most intense occurred during a struggle to breach a west-side door, during which multiple rioters dragged police officers out of a formation and assaulted them while they were trapped in the crowd.... Not long after the start of the struggle, rioters were captured on video pulling a Metropolitan Police officer down the stairs.... News photographers ... captured images of the officer caught in the crowd, which began chanting 'police stand down!'... At the front of the mob, they exchanged blows with the police and struck officers with hockey sticks, crutches and flags. Some rioters shouted 'Push! Push!' One of the attackers ... reached into the doorway, grabbed an officer and dragged him out, aided by [another] man.... As they pulled the officer down the stairs, face down, another rioter beat him with an American flag as the mob chanted 'USA! USA! USA!' Seconds later, two other men ... began yanking the legs of another officer who had fallen to the ground. With the aid of a third man in a gray jacket, they pulled the officer down the steps as well. One rioter appeared to punch him while he was on the ground." ~~~
~~~ Marie: The right-wing Website Red State has posted an article titled, "There Was No Riot, Insurrection or 'Storming!'" I won't read or link it.
Joseph Choi of the Hill: "The New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) said Monday it was launching an inquiry into whether Rudy Giuliani should be removed from its organization. The group said it was looking at comments President Trump's personal attorney, who has been accused of helping to fuel the mob that attacked the Capitol last week with false conspiracy theories about the presidential election, made just before that incident. 'NYSBA has received hundreds of complaints in recent months about Mr. Giuliani and his baseless efforts on behalf of President Trump to cast doubt on the veracity of the 2020 presidential election and, after the votes were cast, to overturn its legitimate results,' the organization said in a statement.... The move would not disbar Giuliani, something the group does not have the power to do. '... Only the state court system can [disbar him] in New York State. He would still be able to practice law without NYSBA membership,' it said." ~~~
~~~ So. Shayna Jacobs of the Washington Post: "The New York State Bar Association will consider expelling ... Rudolph W. Giuliani, and a state lawmaker is seeking his disbarment after inflammatory comments during a rally preceding last week's deadly riot inside the U.S. Capitol.... New York state Sen. Brad Hoylman, a Democrat who represents parts of Manhattan, filed a formal complaint to an appellate court related to 'rampant and egregious violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct' and Giuliani's 'complicity' in inciting last week's violence, he said in a statement. Hoylman, who chairs the state Senate's Judiciary Committee, argued that Giuliani's advancement of election-related conspiracy theories 'appears to have contributed to bloodshed in furtherance of the overthrow of our federal government.' Appellate courts in New York field and review complaints against lawyers that can lead to punitive action."
The Return of Our Fascistic Oligarchs: The Mercers. Brian Schwartz of NBC: "A mysterious political action committee once funded by conservative millionaire Robert Mercer promoted both the rally featuring ... Donald Trump and the ensuing march on Capitol Hill that led to a deadly riot last week. The PAC, called the Black Conservatives Fund, promotes itself as 'committed to turning out the black vote and elect black conservatives at every level of government.'... The Mercer family has deep ties to Trump. Robert and his daughter Rebekah spent millions backing his first run for president. The two funded Cambridge Analytica, a now-defunct data gathering site that was used by Trump's 2016 campaign... Rebekah Mercer recently announced that she co-founded Parler[.]" --s
Why, We Had No Idea! Andrea Salcedo of the Washington Post: "The day before a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, an arm of the Republican Attorneys General Association sent out robocalls urging supporters to come to D.C. to 'fight' Congress over President Trump's baseless election fraud claims. 'At 1 p.m. we will march to the Capitol building and call on Congress to stop the steal,' said the message.... 'We're hoping patriots like you will join us to continue to fight to protect the integrity of our elections.' After the attempted insurrection on Wednesday..., several GOP attorneys general have distanced themselves from the robocalls, insisting they didn't know about the campaign. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, the chairman of the Rule of Law Defense Fund, the nonprofit that sent out the calls, blamed the group's staffers.... Those claims fell short for Marshall's Democratic counterparts, who pointed to the number of GOP officials who have repeated the president's unfounded election fraud claims." MB: We've linked a couple of stories on this before, but I'm glad to see major media picking up the thread. ~~~
~~~ Laura Strickler of NBC News: "The executive director of the Republican Attorneys General Association has resigned amid backlash over a decision to send out robocalls urging people to march to the U.S. Capitol. Adam Piper stepped down from his post after spending four years with the organization, a national group that represents the top law enforcement officials in their states." MB: It isn't clear from the story that Piper had knowledge of or participated in the decision to make the robocalls, but the fact that he resigned suggests that he was at least aware of the calls. Alabama AG Steve Marshall blamed the calls on "staffers." You know, Steve, I would not call the executive director a "staffer."
Christopher Miller of BuzzFeed News: "A disgruntled employee at the State Department changed the biographies of ... Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to say their term was coming to an end on Monday...., two current-serving diplomats ... told BuzzFeed News.... The president's biography was changed to read, 'Donald J. Trump's term ended on 2021-01-11 19:49:00,' while the vice president's biography was edited to 'Michael R. Pence's term ended on 2021-01-11 19:44:22.' The time stamp on Trump's page changed multiple times, before both pages were removed around 3:50 p.m. and replaced with a 404 reading, 'We're sorry, this site is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again in a few moments.' One of the diplomats said that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has ordered an internal investigation into the matter...." MB: Gee, Mike, in a presidency* of horrors, a little levity is in order.
Tony Romm & Elizabeth Dwoskin of the Washington Post: "Twitter said late Monday it purged more than 70,000 accounts affiliated with conspiracy theory QAnon following the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol last week. Twitter said in a blog post that it removed the accounts 'to protect the conversation on our service from attempts to incite violence, organize attacks, and share deliberately misleading information about the election outcome.' The company said it began suspending the accounts on Friday afternoon, citing an increased risk of harm between online speech and real-world events."
Jessica Menton & Kelly Tyko of USA Today (Jan. 10): "Amazon struck another blow to the social media platform Parler -- its website is down for the count on Monday. On Saturday, Amazon Web Services suspended Parler from its web hosting services effective 11:59 p.m. PT Sunday, BuzzFeed reported late Saturday, citing a letter it had obtained that mentions 98 examples of Parler posts that 'encourage and incite violence.' Amazon declined to comment on the suspension. Far right-friendly Parler hit further headwinds over the weekend after the social networking service reportedly removed a post by pro-Trump lawyer Lin Wood, where he threatened violence against ... Mike Pence. This comes as Parler will likely be knocked offline for a week after Google and Apple removed it from their app stores. These moves along with Amazon's suspension will severely limit Parler's reach to its more than 10 million users after the app was among those used to organize the deadly riots at the U.S. Capitol." ~~~
~~~ Karen Weise & Nicole Perlroth of the New York Times: "Hours after it went offline on Monday, the social media start-up Parler filed a lawsuit in federal court accusing Amazon of violating antitrust law and asking for a temporary restraining order to prevent the tech giant from blocking access to cloud computing services. Amazon told Parler over the weekend that it would shut off service because 'a steady increase in violent content' on the site showed that the company did not have a reliable process to prevent it from violating Amazon's terms of service. Amazon said it would ensure Parler's data was preserved so that it could migrate to a new hosting provider."
Neil Vigdor & Azi Paybarah of the New York Times: "A growing number of prominent institutions have taken actions against President Trump and his associates since the deadly rampage at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday by the president's supporters. Two universities stripped him of honorary degrees, major banks paused political contributions, and the P.G.A. of America said it would no longer hold the P.G.A. Championship at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J.... Here is a list of entities that have severed ties with Mr. Trump or distanced themselves from the president and in some cases, Republican politicians who supported his efforts to overturn the election. Many were identified by the newsletter Popular Information." ~~~
~~~ Judd Legum & Tesnim Zekeria of Popular Information: "[T]hree major corporations [Blue Cross Blue Shield, Marriott, & Commerce Bancshares] tell Popular Information that they will stop contributing to Republican members of Congress who encouraged the rioters by objecting to the certification of the Electoral College vote... Popular Information contacted 144 corporations that, through their corporate PACs." --s ~~~
~~~ Sophie Alexander & Sonali Basak of Bloomberg: "Two of Donald Trump's favored banks are pulling away from the billionaire president in the wake of last week's deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol. Deutsche Bank AG has decided to refrain from further business with Trump and his company.... Trump owes the Frankfurt-based lender more than $300 million. And Signature Bank, the New York lender that's long catered to his family, said it's cutting ties.... In 2011, the bank appointed Ivanka to its board, but she stepped down a couple of years later. The New York Times reported the cutting of ties earlier on Monday." Firewalled --safari: All going to plan for Putin.
Cindy Boren & Mark Maske of the Washington Post: "New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick said Monday night he will not accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Trump. In a written statement, Belichick ... said that he had agreed to accept the honor before last week's violence at the Capitol.... 'Subsequently, the tragic events of last week occurred and the decision has been made not to move forward with the award. Above all, I am an American citizen with great reverence for our nation's values, freedom and democracy.... I know I also represent my family and the New England Patriots team. One of the most rewarding things in my professional career took place in 2020 when, through the great leadership within our team, conversations about social justice, equality and human rights moved to the forefront and became actions. Continuing those efforts while remaining true to the people, team and country I love outweigh the benefits of any individual award.'... 'I would refuse it if I were Bill Belichick,' Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) ... told CNN before Belichick's announcement. 'This president has made a mockery of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Look at who he has given it to in the last weeks: people like [Republican congressmen] Devin Nunes and Jim Jordan.'" CNN's story is here. ~~~
~~~ Shakezula of LG&$: "Bonus points for using the term social justice, which will cause Republican Pats fans to set their jerseys on fire, while they're wearing them."
Malcom Turnbull, former Australian PM, in Crikey.: "True to their tradition of wielding power without responsibility, the Murdochs, pere et fils, have not commented on the sacking of the Capitol by a mob of Donald Trump supporters. Yet this catastrophe could not have occurred without the hatred, division and madness Murdoch's media have promoted for years within the United States and beyond.... Until a few weeks ago Fox News' relationship with Trump was like that of a state-owned broadcaster in a dictatorship: flattering the great leader, supporting his friends, denouncing his allies, covering up his failures. Fox News has promoted and exacerbated America's deep social and racial divisions, supporting Trump's exploitation of them at every turn.... The time has come to hold powerful people in the media responsible for the damage they have created or enabled.... Freedom of speech must never mean freedom from responsibility." Read the whole post --s
Neil MacFarquhar & Mike Baker of the New York Times: "State capitals across the country are bracing for a spillover from last week's violent assault on the U.S. Capitol, with state legislatures already becoming targets for protesters in the tense days around the inauguration of the incoming president, Joseph R. Biden Jr.... Dozens of state capitals will be on alert in the coming days, following calls among a mix of antigovernment organizations for actions in all 50 states on Jan. 17. Some of them come from far-right organizations that harbor a broad antigovernment agenda and have already been protesting state Covid-19 lockdowns since last spring. The F.B.I. this week sent a warning to local law enforcement agencies about the potential for armed protests in all 50 state capitals." An NBC News story is here. An ABC News story is here.
David Fahrenthold of the Washington Post: "President Trump's private business failed to pay a $49,000 hotel bill incurred during Trump;s 2017 inaugural -- and then, after the bill went to a collections agency, Trump's nonprofit inaugural committee agreed to pay the charge instead, according to a new filing from the D.C. Attorney General. D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine (D) had already sued Trump's 2017 inaugural committee, alleging it had wasted donors' money on an overpriced, barely used ballroom at President Trump's own D.C. hotel. On Monday, Racine added a new allegation to that suit. He said that Trump's inaugural committee -- a tax-exempt charity -- had improperly paid a bill it did not owe, using nonprofit funds to pay a bill owed by a for-profit business. 'The Trump Organization was liable for the invoiced charges,' Racine's office said in the filing. 'The [Inaugural Committee's] payment of the invoice was unfair, unreasonable and unjustified and ultimately conferred improper private benefit to the Trump Organization.'" MB: We are so surprised.
Reuters via Arab News: "US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo plans to use newly declassified US intelligence on Tuesday to publicly accuse Iran of ties to Al-Qaeda, two people familiar with the matter said, as part of his last-minute offensive against Tehran before handing over to the incoming Biden administration." --s
Way Beyond the Beltway
Justin McCurry of the Guardian: "A rare meeting of North Korea's ruling party has ended with a symbolically important new title for the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, speculation about the future of his influential sister, and a shot across the bow of the incoming US president.... Citing the justification the North has used to press ahead with its nuclear weapons programme, Kim labelled the US his country's 'biggest enemy'... Kim was anointed general secretary of the Workers' party, a post formerly held by his father and his grandfather, Kim Il-sung -- a highly symbolic move analysts said was intended to strengthen his grip on power." --s
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