Election integrity and the transfer of power

[infinitelurker]

On perhaps a paranoid note (but hey it's all free game now) it would be quite the intelligence coup for an unnamed foreign power if some flash drives with backdoor malware happened to find its way onto a computer during the scrum. In a few years when the dust settles such a thing if undiscovered would yield dividends...

Being in tech and following a bunch of infosec folks on Twitter, this has been a big topic since these events started. The main topic being that everything needs to be pulled and reviewed/replaced, and not just computers/phones. Every piece of furniture, carpet, painting, basically down to the studs to be 100% sure. It’s a colossal undertaking.

[malchior]

The Capitol Police finally spoke for pete's sake. They'd been hiding in hidey holes. Finally they addressed the public a few minutes ago and just confirmed what we already knew and said they are looking into the failures. I'm sure Congress feels better already.

[Holman]

I feel like there hasn't been enough attention given to the fact that two reports of pipe bombs near the Capitol yesterday turned out to be actual pipe bombs.

[malchior]

On perhaps a paranoid note (but hey it's all free game now) it would be quite the intelligence coup for an unnamed foreign power if some flash drives with backdoor malware happened to find its way onto a computer during the scrum. In a few years when the dust settles such a thing if undiscovered would yield dividends...

Being in tech and following a bunch of infosec folks on Twitter, this has been a big topic since these events started. The main topic being that everything needs to be pulled and reviewed/replaced, and not just computers/phones. Every piece of furniture, carpet, painting, basically down to the studs to be 100% sure. It’s a colossal undertaking.

Indeed. I've been involved in a similar private discussion groups of infosec professionals about this. Many of us assume that there is a good chance that foreign agents walked the halls of Congress yesterday. Everything should be swept. Here is the big problem. Our security services are simply broken. We still haven't seen adequate response to the Solarwinds incident for example. I'd say there is deep skepticism to the capability of our government to respond to these events for now. That is part of why I'm hanging on by a thread here. We are in grave danger and it really appears that "we" have no protection at the moment.

[Defiant]

I feel like there hasn't been enough attention given to the fact that two reports of pipe bombs near the Capitol yesterday turned out to be actual pipe bombs.

One at the RNC HQ, another in the Capitol complex and a suspicious package at the DNC HQ (though there was never any word as to what the suspicious package was)

I remember briefly hearing yesterday about a van found that might have been related to it?

[malchior]

Trump just fired Wolf after he said he'd stay on to help the orderly transition. He needs to be removed immediately.

Edit: Schumer just made a statement to this effect. We are in incredible danger. This is unbelievable.

Bowser is asking for the DC national guard to be transferred into her control from Trump.

[El Guapo]

Here's Schumer's statement.



This is pretty amazing. Last night I was giving Trump a 20% - 30% chance of getting impeached (and maybe a ~2% chance of being removed). After the evening and morning went fairly uneventfully, I thought he might escape another impeachment. But now....

[malchior]

I've been waiting for this because he is still in power and there is little downside for him not to try more.

[El Guapo]

I've been waiting for this because he is still in power and there is little downside for him not to try more.

There is downside, though. Had Trump quit maybe a month ago, there's a decent chance that: (1) Republicans hold onto at least one of the GA senate seats, allowing McConnell to strangle Biden's first term; (2) Trump escapes indictment; and (3) Trump would be in a decent position to run again in 2024 (particularly with McConnell strangling the Biden administration). The first is obviously over, and the events of yesterday have put the latter two in much more significant doubt (including raising the odds that Trump gets impeached and removed, making #3 impossible).

If Trump keeps pushing, he could easily wind up getting indicted within the next couple months.

That said, given how crazy and delusional he is, I do fully expect him to try. And maybe yesterday crossed the Rubicon sufficiently that he's already in too deep.

[Smoove_B]

Head of Chicago's FOP:

The people who stormed the U.S. Capitol are getting support from the president of Chicago’s Fraternal Order of Police lodge. John Catanzara, elected to represent the city’s 12,000 rank-and-file cops, told me last night he understands the frustration. His explanation:

...

“This is not some mass insurrection, coup attempt. They’re not destroying or burning down the fricking Capitol building. This hyperbole and this emotion that the media is spewing now, like this is some kind of end-of-times scenario, is ridiculous.”

[Blackhawk]

It's linked at the top of this page.

It’s actually been posted three or four times already.

Yep, but I referenced it, and as fast as this page has been moving, I wasn't going to have people (or myself) go searching for links.

[El Guapo]

Jesus. Even setting aside how obnoxious and stupid that is - how much of a bubble is that guy in that he thinks that speaking up like that right now is a good idea?

[malchior]

I've been waiting for this because he is still in power and there is little downside for him not to try more.

There is downside, though. Had Trump quit maybe a month ago, there's a decent chance that: (1) Republicans hold onto at least one of the GA senate seats, allowing McConnell to strangle Biden's first term; (2) Trump escapes indictment; and (3) Trump would be in a decent position to run again in 2024 (particularly with McConnell strangling the Biden administration). The first is obviously over, and the events of yesterday have put the latter two in much more significant doubt (including raising the odds that Trump gets impeached and removed, making #3 impossible).

If Trump keeps pushing, he could easily wind up getting indicted within the next couple months.

Sorry I should be clear. He sees no downside.

That said, given how crazy and delusional he is, I do fully expect him to try. And maybe yesterday crossed the Rubicon sufficiently that he's already in too deep.

This is exactly what I fear. He is already out of the box and he'll just get worse as nothing pushes back on him to stop him.

[Jaymann]

Josh Barro Retweeted
Zeke Miller
@ZekeJMiller

“I’ve known Mike Pence forever,” Inhofe said Tuesday night. “I’ve never seen Pence as angry as he was today.

“I had a long conversation with him,” said Inhofe. “He said, ‘After all the things I’ve done for (Trump).’”

Emo breakup on steroids.

[malchior]

Jesus. Even setting aside how obnoxious and stupid that is - how much of a bubble is that guy in that he thinks that speaking up like that right now is a good idea?

He has lived a life of zero accountability. All the chickens are coming home to roost from our failure to keep these guys in check.

[malchior]

Bowser is talking now about how they might need to shutdown the city to preserve public order.

[Kurth]

After yesterday, I was hoping I'd wake up here on the west coast this morning to news that impeachment proceedings were underway.

Guess not.

[El Guapo]

What are the odds that Trump actually gets removed? Before this morning I would've said 2%. Given everything...I'd say maybe 10%? Still seems like a real longshot given the 2/3rds vote required in the Senate for either impeachment conviction or for 25th amendment permanent disability, but....the events of yesterday seem to have really shaken everyone.

Still seems really unlikely to get to 67 senate votes unless and until Trump pulls some even more far out shit. But no longer seems unthinkable.

[El Guapo]

After yesterday, I was hoping I'd wake up here on the west coast this morning to news that impeachment proceedings were underway.

Guess not.

I expect that they'll get underway today or tomorrow.

[Defiant]

I'm surprised none of the Trump faithful in congress have written up articles of impeachment for Mike Pence.

[Defiant]

[malchior]

What are the odds that Trump actually gets removed? Before this morning I would've said 2%. Given everything...I'd say maybe 10%? Still seems like a real longshot given the 2/3rds vote required in the Senate for either impeachment conviction or for 25th amendment permanent disability, but....the events of yesterday seem to have really shaken everyone.

Still seems really unlikely to get to 67 senate votes unless and until Trump pulls some even more far out shit. But no longer seems unthinkable.

I agree. They were explaining this morning that there wasn't even enough time procedurally to get a Senate vote in time anyway. We need to think about an overhaul of the whole thing. They need an expedited process. That we need to rely on either a molasses slow process or the President's own people to turn on him to protect us is madness.

[El Guapo]

Two things Trump should be doing today that he's probably not: (1) negotiating with Pence for a deal where he resigns "for the good of the nation" and Pence pardons him; and (2) picking a country to take an extended 'vacation' to in a week or two.

[Daehawk]

There should be a blanket shoot to kill order for the Capitol for things like this. It should also be public knowledge and explained. So people know what will happen. Then dont puss out..actually follow it. This wouldn't happen. If it did then its handled.

[stessier]

Two things Trump should be doing today that he's probably not: (1) negotiating with Pence for a deal where he resigns "for the good of the nation" and Pence pardons him; and (2) picking a country to take an extended 'vacation' to in a week or two.

There is no way he is that self aware or smart.

[Kurth]

There should be a blanket shoot to kill order for the Capitol for things like this. It should also be public knowledge and explained. So people know what will happen. Then dont puss out..actually follow it. This wouldn't happen. If it did then its handled.

Please stop. Don’t feed the Tucker Carlson trolls of the world.

[malchior]

Two things Trump should be doing today that he's probably not: (1) negotiating with Pence for a deal where he resigns "for the good of the nation" and Pence pardons him; and (2) picking a country to take an extended 'vacation' to in a week or two.

This will never work. Trump thinks Pence stabbed him in the back. Appealing to his transactional nature makes sense but he is feral now. I am hoping that the DOD is essentially committed to ignoring any out of control orders. I think we have to ride this out.

[Daehawk]

There should be a blanket shoot to kill order for the Capitol for things like this. It should also be public knowledge and explained. So people know what will happen. Then dont puss out..actually follow it. This wouldn't happen. If it did then its handled.

Please stop. Don’t feed the Tucker Carlson trolls of the world.

Ah Tucker. The anti Bill Nye.

[El Guapo]

Two things Trump should be doing today that he's probably not: (1) negotiating with Pence for a deal where he resigns "for the good of the nation" and Pence pardons him; and (2) picking a country to take an extended 'vacation' to in a week or two.

This will never work. Trump thinks Pence stabbed him in the back. Appealing to his transactional nature makes sense but he is feral now. I am hoping that the DOD is essentially committed to ignoring any out of control orders. I think we have to ride this out.

I agree. I'm just saying that's what he *should* be doing.

[Daehawk]

Still weird to hear "Donald J Trump of Florida"

[LawBeefaroni]

Still weird to hear "Donald J Trump of Florida"

It's an insult to Floridamans everywhere.

[Zaxxon]

[Holman]

The WH is officially blaming Antifa “terrorists” (in a statement released today but dated, weirdly January 5).

[Blackhawk]

There should be a blanket shoot to kill order for the Capitol for things like this. It should also be public knowledge and explained. So people know what will happen. Then dont puss out..actually follow it. This wouldn't happen. If it did then its handled.

I know you're angry and frustrated. We all are. But please stop with the bloodthirsty calls for killing. It doesn't help, and it is exactly the kind of thing that the people we're mad at are doing.

[Jaymann]

I thought invoking the 25th Amendment would be a waste of time since Agolf can contest it. But apparently if Pence and a majority of the cabinet vote him as unfit for office, Pence becomes acting President until it gets formally determined. And that could take way more than two weeks. Get Agolf away from those nuclear codes and ships/planes in the Persian Gulf now!

[Smoove_B]

The messaging continues to spiral out of control.

The Attorney General of Texas @TXAG @KenPaxtonTX claims on Facebook this morning: "Those who stormed the capitol yesterday were not @realDonaldTrump supporters. They have been confirmed to be Antifa” **There is no evidence of this** #txlege

Every minute that goes by without action, this gets worse.

[Zaxxon]

Not only is there no evidence it's 'antifa' (whoever that is), but there is plenty of evidence that many folks are well-known DJT supporters.

[malchior]

Not only is there no evidence it's 'antifa' (whoever that is), but there is plenty of evidence that many folks are well-known DJT supporters.

It blows because what this probably is a message that Trump has more support than we thought and these are essentially declarations of support of the coup. 2/3 of the House declared support for the coup. A pool of about 10 Senators. We have long suspected many police and a little evidence of that. Officials in some positions at the state and local level. We have real problems here.

[ImLawBoy]

Not only is there no evidence it's 'antifa' (whoever that is), but there is plenty of evidence that many folks are well-known DJT supporters.

Those were just deep cover Antifa agents who had been embedded in the Proud Boys and the like. It's so obvious I can't believe I need to spell it out!

[El Guapo]

2/3 of the House declared support for the coup.

Do you mean House Republicans?