The headlines are expressing surprise at how much the the January 6 Hearings are revealing and Republicans are claiming not to have understood how serious things were.
From @PalmerReport:
CNN says many Republican officials are “stunned” by today’s bombshells about Trump. No. They knew he was every bit this evil. They’re only stunned that the January 6th Committee was this successful at digging it all up.
No one who has paid any attention whatsoever, didn't know how bad it was. Only those who had a vested interest in believing Trump should have known.
Here are some thoughts which I started jotting down after the first break today:
1. Most pressing question for me was: what motivates a person like Cassidy Hutchinson, who has served a number of far right politicians before moving to the White House, to now testify about what she saw? How did she make the decision? I understand that we tolerate flaws in people we love or people we hope will achieve important outcomes. Democrats defended Clinton during his impeachment trial because they thought his presidency was more important. I'm just curious how people decide their hero has cross one line too many?
Later, Hutchinson actually told us it was watching the her big boss actually encouraging the insurrection.
"As an American, I was disgusted. It was unpatriotic, it was un-American. We were watching the Capitol building get defaced over a lie,".
2. Dripping Ketchup, Smashing China: In regards to that first question, I'm sure there are some very proper GOP women who will finally be convinced after hearing that he smashed the china against the wall.
Hutchinson testified that T was so mad at Barr for an interview with the media (AP I think) that he threw his lunch against the wall, getting it full of ketchup, and breaking the (White House presumably) china.
They might think that groping 'those kind of women' was just boys being boys. But visualizing the ketchup dripping down the wall and seeing the broken china pieces on the floor will be enough for some to draw the line.
3. The Magnetometer, steering wheel, and the neck. Hutchinson testified that Trump learned the audience for his speech wasn't as big as he wanted because his supporters didn't want to go through the Magnetometer machines and have their weapons confiscated. He said they weren't going to hurt him and should keep their weapons and take them to the Capitol
“I don’t fucking care they have weapons,” he allegedly said. “Take the fucking mags away.” Then in his speech, he urged those same supporters to march down to the Capitol.
And then when the secret service refused his order to drive to the Capitol, Hutchinson testified that he grabbed the steering wheel and the neck of the secret service guarding him trying to get them to turn around and drive to the Capitol with the mob.
"“I’m the f—-ing president, take me to the Capitol now,” he told his staff, according to Hutchinson. The president lunged for the steering wheel, Ornato told Hutchinson, and when Engel tried to restrain him, Trump lunged for Engel and tried to grab him around his throat area." (MSNBC)
I'd note T has denied these events ever happened. Of course. Maybe he should call up Rep. Thompson and volunteer to testify under oath.
4. Hanged versus Hung. She talked about T encouraging the people who wanted Pence 'hung.' Just for the record, pictures and clothes and even juries can be hung. But when talking about people executed with ropes around their necks, the right word is 'hanged'. I don't think it matters too much, but it is a curiosity of the English language.
5. Cassidy Hutchinson is merely 25 years old and has had positions working for various powerful Republican politicians since graduating from college. She was remarkably composed at the hearing today.
People might tell you we need to get past this and just move on. We don't do that for most crimes where there's an accused unless the prosecution doesn't think there is enough evidence, or the accused is a white police officer or very wealthy and/or well connected.
Not enforcing the law vigorously against those who tried to overthrow the election and end American democracy as we know it, by people who continue to call the visible leader of that movement their hero and want him to run again in 2024, only encourages such behavior to continue. Putting every insurrectionist in prison isn't going to change their minds, just as imprisoning a murderer isn't going to change his mind. We put them away to stop them from committing more crimes. Though a civilized country would find far more humane and effective ways to deter and rehabilitate then the US prison system.
And for those Republicans, particularly in Congress, who want to just let it go, I'd remind them that there were ten Congressional Benghazi investigations from April 2013 to December 2016.
"Despite numerous allegations against Obama administration officials of scandal, cover-up and lying regarding the Benghazi attack and its aftermath, none of the ten investigations found any evidence to support those allegations."
And then there was the Clinton email investigations. The Republicans are less effective in investigations that end up in prosecutions. They're more effective in creating 'scandals' to hurt their opponents' election chances.
Finally, John Durham is still investigating the FBI investigation of the Russian connections to Trump. He was appointed in May 2019. The recent trial jury in that investigation found attorney John Sussman not guilty. That's over three years for people whose math is rusty. At about $1 million per year.
And yet today, the US Supreme Court decides with its newly-formed 6-3 majority, to limit EPA regulatory powers over CO2 emissions. Not surprising, I suppose. In Europe, many of us (progressive & conservative) are worried that the USA now risks exchanging erratic policy for permanently bad doctrine.
ReplyDeleteI hope it's (yet) possible for America to regain its balance, and step back.