Capitol Riot Investigation Thread

[malchior]

We have already have evidence of crimes laid out in the Mueller report that several Federal prosecutors have said are strong cases and will time out soon. The elites have decided that they will not hold him accountable for who knows what reason. So we've moved the goalposts to other crimes that they surely will be held accountable for?! It's almost certainly not happening. We aren't the law and order society we pretend we are.

That piece above is fantastic. But at this point knowing it almost certainly was an actual albeit uncoordinated coup attempt by multiple actors is useless since the people able to do anything aren't doing anything. We know even more than that now and the absence of action is damning.

[Kraken]

Are they gonna nail Trump and the idiots in Congress or not?

They'd have to actually have an investigation first.

And if their investigation recommends charges, it will fall upon Merrick Garland's DOJ. So, no.

A person convicted of insurrection is ineligible to run for public office. That's simultaneously a powerful reason to pursue the charge, and the reason they won't.

[malchior]

Actual quote from one if my FB canaries as we run up to the anniversary.

I hate hearing lies. FOR THE LAST TIME, the January 6th "insurrection" WAS NOT deadly. NO ONE died during it. Brian Sicknic died of natural causes 2 days later. NYTimes and CNN both retracted this claim. Don't believe the hype. Don't be a sheep.

It was also NOT an insurrection. It was unplanned, with no weapons present. And let's not forget, Capital staff was caught on camera opening doors for would-be infiltrators and Nancy Pelosi REFUSED capital police protections after they were offered.

[Alefroth]

I'm seeing those exact 'arguments' all over news articles.

I thought weapons were unimportant. If someone wants to kill another person, they'll find a way. No gun needed.

[malchior]

No weapons curiously overlooks stun guns and mace. Whatever works in the fantasy land they live in.

[LordMortis]

Flag lances... riot shields... baseball bats... gas masks... batons...

Though, in retrospect, it is "impressive" there were no guns and knives wielded by these "patriots". Of course, if there were, this would be much bloodier and different conversation, I'd think.

[Archinerd]

A crime with little chance of success is still a crime.

[Smoove_B]

I guess we know who's getting the next subpoena?

Hannity text to Meadows on 12/31/20, per Jan. 6 committee: “We can’t lose the entire WH counsels office. I do NOT see January 6 happening the way he is being told." "After the 6 th. [sic] He should announce will lead the nationwide effort to reform voting integrity. Go to Fl and watch Joe mess up daily. Stay engaged. When he speaks people will listen.”

[Alefroth]

I guess we know who's ignoring the next subpoena?

Hannity text to Meadows on 12/31/20, per Jan. 6 committee: “We can’t lose the entire WH counsels office. I do NOT see January 6 happening the way he is being told." "After the 6 th. [sic] He should announce will lead the nationwide effort to reform voting integrity. Go to Fl and watch Joe mess up daily. Stay engaged. When he speaks people will listen.”

Mortoned

[El Guapo]

So what does he mean by "lose the entire WH counsel's office"? Threat of mass resignation? Or just the threat that they won't support the "Green Bay Sweep"?

[malchior]

So what does he mean by "lose the entire WH counsel's office"? Threat of mass resignation? Or just the threat that they won't support the "Green Bay Sweep"?

My guess is on the resignations. I won't say too many nice things about Pat Cipollone but he was by accounts the person in that room who successfully kept Trump from firing Rosen and going 100% in the Jeffrey Clark direction.

[Grifman]

Not sure where this should go but Trump has cancelled his press conference scheduled for tomorrow:

[Grifman]

This is certainly interesting. Hannity appears to be even more heavily involved than previously hinted at:

[malchior]

Of course Hannity's lawyer is Jay Sekulow.

[Kurth]

I'm shocked.

[malchior]

[malchior]

Following Garland's institutions uber alles speech today Trump of course marked this moment with this.

[Isgrimnur]

CNN

In a sweeping speech marking the one-year anniversary of the Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland pushed back on criticism that the Justice Department's January 6 probe has not been aggressive enough, while signaling that no one would be off limits as prosecutors "followed the facts."

"The actions we have taken thus far will not be our last," Garland said. "The Justice Department remains committed to holding all January 6th perpetrators, at any level, accountable under law -- whether they were present that day or were otherwise criminally responsible for the assault on our democracy."
...
He responded to the questions being raised about the speed of the investigation and what it will cover.

"Our answer is, and will continue to be, the same answer we would give with respect to any ongoing investigation: as long as it takes and whatever it takes for justice to be done -- consistent with the facts and the law," he said.

[malchior]

The speech was by the numbers. He predictably extolled the institution and norms. And that's what he should do. However, it doesn't help that several people who know how to ferret out signs of investigations pointed out that there have been none of the telltale signs of anything beyond going after the low level people. No sealed dockets. No leaks. No people whining about overstepping authorities. No raids. Nada. That doesn't mean it isn't happening but it'd be helpful if we heard a little noise.

Still we have no choice but to believe that they are truly going to follow the facts. However, public trust is in tatters in most institutions including the DOJ which is still damaged by the litany of revelations during the Trump era. Many of the same people are still there even if the leadership turned over. We haven't seen any real indications that the rot has been swept out or any introspection about the Trump era issues. Meanwhile, a lot of folks are doggedly hanging onto the thread that justice is just slow and it's coming. That's a fine belief but a lot of people are still shellshocked from what happened in the Muller investigation. I personally have zero faith they have the guts to do what is needed. But I'm more than willing to be proven wrong here.

Edit: One thing that I thought fell flat was his defense of the DOJ where he pushed back on his critics. As if they don't have a reason to be extremely skeptical. It indicates to me that he has no perspective how damaged the institution actually is and how dangerous the moment is. I get his thesis that going back to being the boring DOJ is what was needed but we will have to see if it ends up repairing the damage.

[Carpet_pissr]

“Inside the beltway” blindness

[malchior]

[Jaymann]

Is there a memorial today to honor those who lost their lives defending the Capitol?

[malchior]

Cool. Thanks for mentioning it a year later. Though I wonder if she mentioned it in her book...

[Octavious]

I watched "How To Become A Tyrant" on Netflix yesterday. His entire presidency was like a paint by numbers following that show. Well minus the execution of people. That would have been hard to pull off even for him.

[LordMortis]

Is there a memorial today to honor those who lost their lives defending the Capitol?

There should be

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/06/us/p ... orial.html

I guess the wheels of memorial honoring grind slowly.

[dbt1949]

Happy American Guy Fawkes Day!

[malchior]

Yup - sounds about right. Kinzinger said he would have been there if not for family obligations but...it is what we can expect from those cowards.

[Zarathud]

The party that swore to defend the Constitution couldn’t be bothered to show up, then or now. Dick Cheney should not be the best of the Republicans.

[LordMortis]

Well, you know, great patriots.

[Pyperkub]

emptywheel has data on the higher level conspiracy cases:

One number, however, is low: DOJ claims that,

Approximately 40 defendants have been charged with conspiracy, either: (a) conspiracy to obstruct a congressional proceeding, (b) conspiracy to obstruct law enforcement during a civil disorder, (c) conspiracy to injure an officer, or (d) some combination of the three.

By my count, this number is at least 25% off the known count. There are 39 people currently charged in the top-line militia conspiracies, plus five people cooperating against them.

[em2nought]

[hepcat]

Fantasizing about being an English soldier shooting real Americans again?

[Scraper]

Fantasizing about being an English soldier shooting real Americans again?

Trolls are gonna troll. His signature says enough about his seriousness.

[Skinypupy]

Ted Cruz was forced to grovel to Tucker because he had the audacity to call Jan 6 a "terrorist attack" instead of "tourists".

Fuck these people.

[LawBeefaroni]

We've always known that about Cruz. Remember when Trump insulted his wife and Cruz came crawling back, hat in hand, to kiss his ass?

[Holman]

We've always known that about Cruz. Remember when Trump insulted his wife and Cruz came crawling back, hat in hand, to kiss his ass?

His wife *and* his father.

[hepcat]

To be fair, Cruz's father DID kill Kennedy.

[Smoove_B]

Does Tucker Carlson ever have a still shot where it doesn't look like he just took a haymaker from a professional MMA fighter?

[Carpet_pissr]

Does Tucker Carlson ever have a still shot where it doesn't look like he just took a haymaker from a professional MMA fighter?

It's his carefully cultivated "I'm a complete and utter moron, a literal mouthbreather" look in case he has to appear before a jury.
Tucker's lawyer: "Just look at this supercut of Tucker's face over the years...does this man look like an evil genius that could plot and effect the downfall of our republic? Look at those eyes! He barely comprehends his own exsitence! Notice the constant look of wonder and bewilderment, and the slightly ajar mouth. No, ladies and gentleman, I submit that is not the face of someone capable of the crimes he is being charged with. We should PITY this man, NOT condemn him."

Alternate: It's his carefully cultivated "I'm a complete and utter moron, a literal mouthbreather" look, in order to appeal even more to his audience. Not that "rich frat boy" is hurting him, because these days, if your perceived hate of liberals is sufficient, nothing else matters.

[Jaymann]

Newspeak: It was a tourist attack.