Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

With all due respect and assumptions of good faith, please fuck off into the sun.

You are so fucked. Still, I wish you the best of luck.

“The defense has a certain level of trust in defendant that the government does not.”

The republican caucus is covering themselves with something, and it is not glory.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

There are consequences to being an arrogant, sullen prick.

Stay strong, because they are weak.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

Fundamental belief of white supremacy: white people are presumed innocent, minorities are presumed guilty.

Decision time: keep arguing about the last election, or try to win the next one?

No Kings: Americans standing in the way of bad history saying “Oh, Fuck No!”

This is dead girl, live boy, a goat, two wetsuits and a dildo territory.  oh, and pink furry handcuffs.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

Weird. Rome has an American Pope and America has a Russian President.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

The National Guard is not Batman.

They spent the last eight months firing professionals and replacing them with ideologues.

President Musk and Trump are both poorly raised, coddled 8 year old boys.

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

Hell hath no fury like a farmer bankrupted.

You know he’s going to shit a cat.

T R E 4 5 O N

If America since Jan 2025 hasn’t broken your heart, you haven’t loved her enough.

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

You are here: Home / Justice / Criminal Justice / The 1/6 Select Committee Begins Its Work (Part One of… Many)

The 1/6 Select Committee Begins Its Work (Part One of… Many)

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Due to start at 9:30am EDT, per CBS: (warning — graphic descriptions of the officers’ injuries)

The House Select Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot will hold its first hearing Tuesday, with testimony from law enforcement officers who defended the building that day.

Officers were severely outnumbered, and CBS News has reported that, in total, more than 150 officers were injured during the attack.

The impact persists: Months after the attack, at least 17 police officers remained out of work with injuries sustained on January 6, and some have described ongoing psychological trauma. Two officers died after the assault.

The committee has called four officers to testify Tuesday, all of whom have been vocal about the violence they experienced. The committee said they would deliver testimony in their personal capacities, not representing their departments…

Capitol Police Private First Class Harry Dunn, who is also scheduled to testify Tuesday, said he was assaulted and called slurs during the mob attack, which occurred after President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally.

Dunn joined Fanone at the meeting with McCarthy last month. He said, “We did ask for some commitments to take the special Select Committee seriously. I think we all want the same thing, ultimately, but how we go about getting it, I guess is where the hiccup is.”…

Chairman Bennie Thompson:

… As the longtime chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, Thompson is accustomed to dealing with grave matters of national security. But his stewardship of the Jan. 6 panel will be a test unlike any other, as he tries to untangle the events of a violent insurrection that many House Republicans increasingly play down and deny.

“We have to get it right,” Thompson said. If the committee can find ways to prevent anything like it from happening again, “then I would have made what I think is the most valuable contribution to this great democracy.”

Thompson, 73, is a liberal fixture in Congress and longtime champion of civil rights, the only Democrat in the Mississippi delegation, hailing from a majority-black district in the state’s western half. He has avoided the limelight during his more than 15 years on the Homeland Security Committee, notching achievements with careful bipartisan outreach.

Several Democrats and Republicans said Thompson was the right choice to lead an investigation that is certain to be partisan and fraught.

“I’ve dealt with Bennie for 15 years, and we disagreed on a lot, but I don’t think there was ever a harsh word between us,” says former Republican Rep. Pete King of New York, who was the chairman and top Republican on the Homeland Security Committee for years opposite Thompson. “Bennie is low key, he manages his side well. He was a good guy to work with. He was strong and knew what he wanted, but there was very little drama.”

New York Rep. John Katko, who is now the top Republican on the Homeland Security Committee, gave a similar assessment. Thompson is “a good man, a patriotic American” and a “productive partner,” Katko said in statement.

Pelosi chose Thompson as chairman after he crafted legislation with Katko that would have created an independent, bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack. That bill won almost three dozen Republican votes in the House only to flame out in the Senate, where the opposition of Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell was decisive…

When the House select committee exploring the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol begins its investigation Tuesday, it will have to do more than just gather and synthesize information about the insurrection. It will also have to fight every day to defend the investigation itself, against a party determined to discredit it, to spread disinformation and to prevent any real accounting…

… What Republicans really don’t want to see illuminated is not just what happened that awful day, but the forces that produced it — the same forces that still threaten the stability of our democracy.

That’s because they see those forces — the anger and hatred, the rejection of the American system of resolving differences, the celebration of violence as a means of achieving political ends, the way social media has become such a potent instrument to spread and organize extremism — not as problems to be solved but as resources for achieving their own political goals…

Reader Interactions

212Comments

  1. 1.

    prostratedragon

    As should have been expected:
    Trump officials can testify in Jan. 6 inquiries, Justice Dept. says

    “The extraordinary events in this matter constitute exceptional circumstances warranting an accommodation to Congress,” he wrote, noting that the information sought by Congress was directly related to the question of whether Mr. Trump tried to use the Justice Department to advance his “personal political interests” by subverting the results of the election.

  2. 2.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I think about this a lot

    Clyburn suggested his inner office was targeted by the mob because there was “activity outside of my inner office where most people don’t know where that is.”

    “The office with my name on the door was not touched. But the office where I do most of my work in, they were on that floor and outside that door,” the South Carolina Democrat said.

    As Majority Whip, Clyburn has a large ceremonial office that the rioters passed right by, but a group of them found his office in a building that is, people were saying at the time, really easy to get lost in.

  3. 3.

    MontyTheClipArtMongoose

    all fair on the psychological aftereffects of the insurrection on the (non-collaborationist) capitol police there that day, but what of the psychic hit that the yung magas took seeing el jefe maximo felled by vicepresidente cerebro debilitado? do we care as little about their mental wellbeing as we care about their economic anxiety?

  5. 5.

    hells littlest angel

    Every time I see the video I want to see every one of those hateful motherfuckers executed.

  6. 6.

    JPL

    Awful.

    The seditious four should  watch that film, before expressing concern about those who were arrested.   At this point I would not be surprised if Marjorie Taylor Greene called them political prisioners.   fkfkkfk

  8. 8.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    I think that Washington Post opinion is over things thinking this. 1/6 is what happens with people who spent all their childhoods watching too much big time wrestling.  The violence was an end to self and that’s why it was so ineptly planned, done in cosplay and came with it’s own audience.  It’s dangerous idiocy that got people killed and needs to be stopped.

  9. 9.

    Tony Jay

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Cue angry Republican reps running in front of TV cameras to denounce the radical leftist Democrats for claiming that certain (named) Representatives and their (named) staff members met with (named) Insecurrectionist leaders at (named) Washington area restaurants in the days before January 6th to brief them on how they could enter the capitol building, what obstacles would be in their way and where in the building they could find their (named) targets.

    “Uh…. those are pretty specific denials considering the Democrats haven’t made any accusations yet. Going back to the names you’ve given us…”

    Cue angry Republican reps running in front of TV cameras to denounce the Fake News Media for putting words in their mouths.

    What a performance they’re going to put on. You can smell the scalded bumcheeks from this side of the Atlantic.

  10. 10.

    Betty Cracker

    @Cameron: She definitely has, along with fellow nutbars Gaetz and Gosar. Trump also came close to doing calling the insurrectionists political prisoners, and if that hasn’t become an article of faith within the Republican Party by the end of the summer, I’ll be surprised.

  11. 11.

    Betty Cracker

    Poor Officer Dunn looks nervous. As a person who hates public speaking, I have empathy for him.

  12. 12.

    rp

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques: Yes! I’ve made this point to a number of friends over the last 4 years…everything you need to know about Trump and his supporters can be gleaned from pro wrestling. See also Fantasyland by Kurt Anderson.

  15. 15.

    MazeDancer

    Officer Gonell is just the first guy. Already upset and tearing up at his suffering.

    After Bennie and Liz, no wonder the GOP fought this.

  17. 17.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    As Majority Whip, Clyburn has a large ceremonial office that the rioters passed right by, but a group of them found his office in a building that is, people were saying at the time, really easy to get lost in. 

    A whole bunch of Congressional and Senatorial Trump trash need to be repeatedly punched in the dick.  Some traitorous shitstains helped with this.

  20. 20.

    bbleh

    I expect only junkies will tune in, and maybe some shut-ins because drama.  The real question will be, how will the network “news” shows play it?  The right-wing media complex will ignore it or slant it absurdly, but from what I can tell, the MSM have been pretty UNsympathetic to the rioters and the MAGA cult, and they command a FAR larger — and less plugged-in — audience in total.

    I probably won’t watch the hearings.  But I’ll watch the news tonight.

  23. 23.

    Elizabelle

    @bbleh:   I think these police officers make compelling footage.  I think the networks will be all over this.

    Officer Fanone is a father of four daughters. He thought he might be killed with his own gun, or torn apart by the crowd.

    People do things in crowds they would never do individually.  He was up against a mob, that was chanting.

    It was hard for a trained police officer.  Now, imagine some of those the police were defending up against that hateful mob.

    Raised voice:  “disgraceful!” re those who deny the events.

    He is calling out those members of Congress who are lying about it, now.

  24. 24.

    PST

    The Justice Department notified former Trump administration officials this week that they could testify to the various committees investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, according to a letter obtained by The New York Times.

    Witnesses can give “unrestricted testimony” to the House Oversight and Reform Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, the department said in a letter this week. Both panels are scrutinizing the Trump administration’s efforts to overturn the election in its final days and the events leading up to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

    The fact that DOJ in the current administration has been consistent about executive privilege and defended it even when not to the political advantage of President Biden and the Democrats gives it credibility now. Some cases in which we have been disappointed, like the Wilbur Ross matter, seem trivial to me, in contrast to this decision that the June 6 committees can have anything they ask for.

  25. 25.

    Mike in NC

    Somebody referenced a poll that 25% of Republicans supported the attack on the Capitol. Huh, I’d have guessed it would be 75%.

  26. 26.

    PST

    @Mike in NC: Polling questions can be tough to answer when you want to simultaneously deny that there ever was an attack on the Capitol and support it anyway.

  29. 29.

    Elizabelle

    Terrorists or tourists?  You decide.

    @bbleh:

    I expect only junkies will tune in

    I disagree.  Further, this makes for compelling audio only, too, which is easy to have on in a worksite, if you have a private office or work from home.  Or are out driving.

    This is easily as interesting as the Watergate hearings.

  32. 32.

    Elizabelle

    Further, a lot of people have friends and loved ones in law enforcement.  Would you like your son or daughter up against a mob, some of whom are trying to gouge their eyes out?

    Are the rightwingers going to disbelieve these officers?  I think many will believe them.  Not all, but this will resonate with some.

    “Gods, Guns and Trump.”  This is what that brings.

  37. 37.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Brian Beutler @brianbeutler 3m
    For all the “gift to Kevin McCarthy” reporters out there: don’t you think it’s interesting that Liz Cheney accused her own party of engaging in a coverup from the dais today? I thought coverups made for juicy stories and were bad news for the perpetrators?

    Brian Beutler @brianbeutler 11m
    Cheney just echoed Schiff, “we must issue and enforce subpoenas promptly.” Suggests a process more like the impeachment inquiry than the rest of ‘19/20 oversight. And Schiff implied criminal contempt, with DOJ engaged, will be the will be the tool they use to enforce subpoenas.

    This is good news, also just the standard the committee *should* be held to.

  38. 38.

    debbie

    Working so can’t watch, but the officer who was being crushed in the door sounds exactly like Andy Samberg. Does he also look like him?

  44. 44.

    Elizabelle

    Questioning coming up.

    This is where we won’t miss poo-flinger Jordan or liar Banks or any of the other performance artists.  We will get serious follow up.

    This could illustrate that more Committees could do better work if the radicalized GOP are not allowed to disrupt them.

  51. 51.

    Anomalous Cowherd

    @rp:

    For years I’ve been telling people that Trump is the 21st-century  version of Gorgeous George. Unfortunately, anyone younger than me has no idea what I’m talking about.

  55. 55.

    Frank Wilhoit

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques: Whether that is overthinking depends upon whether you are focussing on the inciters or the incitees.  The incitees have, historically, been neglected; everything is really bottom-up; I think we are agreed on that much.  But the targets of punishment are the inciters, and the fact that they do not originate does not mean that they do not have important motives and methods.

  56. 56.

    zhena gogolia

    Yay Gonell! “If those were hugs and kisses, we should all go to his house and do the same to him.”

  62. 62.

    JWR

    @bbleh:

    The real question will be, how will the network “news” shows play it?

    So far, ABC is the only network carrying it live, and it’s not showing up on any of my 3 PBS stations. Not a good sign, but we shall see.

  66. 66.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @zhena gogolia:

    Yay Gonell! “If those were hugs and kisses, we should all go to his house and do the same to him.”

    BWA HA HA HA!

    (side note: is there anything creepier than when trump tries to describe normal expressions of human affection, which he very clearly understands like I understand quantum physics)

  70. 70.

    JPL

    @Immanentize: Same.  I’m hoping that we find out something.   In order for people to testify, they will need to arrest them, I fear.   How will the news cover that possibility?

  72. 72.

    laura

    The ball of anxiety in my gut, and my aching heart- this bearing witness is tough despite the time and the distance, and it’s the least I can do to honor the witnesses and the Committee.

  74. 74.

    patroclus

    Fox, Newsmax and ABC are all showing this live.  Hopefully, it’ll have an impact.  This is really powerful testimony.  Trump and Kevin McCarthy are really looking foolish today.

  75. 75.

    JPL

    @patroclus: McConnell prevented his members for voting for a 9/11 commission.   I wonder why his name isn’t mentioned along with McCarthy.    It is sometimes, but not nearly enough.

  77. 77.

    PenAndKey

    @debbie: “Assholes are about to skewer him for his statement about going to Trump’s house.”

    Somehow, I think Gonell is too pissed off to care if anyone tries to “skewer” him.

  84. 84.

    Immanentize

    @MattF: As someone pointed out, if they really believed it was Pelosi’s fault, the Republicans would have been begging for a big national commission starting on January 7.

  91. 91.

    Elizabelle

    Kinzinger tearing up.

    “Democracies are not defined by our bad days. … It’s how we come back.”

    I think the Select Committee will be the first of several investigations.  Follow this one all the way up, to the billionaires and the media outlets who incited this insurrection.  And tried to overturn a free and fair election.

    Not just the stooges who fell for it all.  Not just the little guys.

  92. 92.

    Ajabu

    All of these Capitol police officers are compelling. They’re really accurately bearing witness to the behavior of those “tourists”. It’s going to be interesting to hear the rethugs response to this…

  94. 94.

    MattF

    @Immanentize: The fundamental constraint is that it can’t be you-know-who. Blaming Pelosi is an attempt to distract those who go blind with rage when the hear her name.

  95. 95.

    p.a.

    I hope the relevant entities publicize the source names and texts of the threat messages the members and witnesses of this investigation will get, as well as whatever judicial action is required.  Because you know they have been/will be threatened.

    #partyofpersonalresponsibility*

     

    *for everyone else

  100. 100.

    Jackie

    I’m lagging behind. I have to pause and walk away every few moments. This is so hard to watch – but I feel it is my duty to listen to these officers’ testimony.

  104. 104.

    karen marie

    @Betty Cracker: There aren’t even that many being held. Over 400 charged, fewer than 50 being held.

    I’d have been hard pressed during the last Bush admin to imagine I could dislike Republicans more than I did then, yet here we are.

  105. 105.

    Kelly

    Republicans have successfully convinced their base trouble they caused is the Democrats fault for as long as I’ve followed politics, so since the Nixon administration.

  106. 106.

    karen marie

    @PST: Apparently the Ross prosecution was declined by Barr, not Garland. That being said, I don’t know why that decision can’t or shouldn’t be revisited.

  107. 107.

    patrick Il

    Watching the Jan 6 videos we should appreciate the importance of DC gun laws. It would have been a very different story if the DC insurrectionists had been armed like the Michigan insurrectionists. We need to pass some serious gun laws.

  108. 108.

    Elizabelle

    This will also really get the congressional Republicans’ attention.

    Some are too far gone, but some might be gettable enough to be ashamed of their own party trying to lie these officers’ experiences away.

    Congresscritters also going to hear from their constitutents about this.

    I think this is a stiletto aimed at dividing the elected GOP too, and it may be more effective than we know, immediately.

    Having Cheney and Kinzinger on that Committee is essential.  You always have to give your audience someone they can identify with.  (“I would be the good Republican.  I would be the person who survived the plane crash.  I am not like that guy.”  etc.)

  109. 109.

    zhena gogolia

    It’s interesting that the female congresspeople are stoic and the guys are crying.

  110. 110.

    Elizabelle

    Schiff tearing up, too.

    “This must be an Adam thing today.”

    To police:  “I am so grateful for all of you.”

  111. 111.

    WaterGirl

    @JPL: I think we should stop using her full name, that gives her some special status like Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

    She should be referred to as “Greene” and not by her full name or the initials she likes to use.  She was to be RBG or AOC, and she is not.  AOC started because her name is hard.  Greene is not hard.

    Let’s stop helping the name recognition that she so desperately wants.

    *Just my two cents, and not directed at you in particular, JPL.

  112. 112.

    germy

    Sorry, as I listen to Capitol Police officers talk about the insurrection—being attacked by hammers, crushed by rioters, losing eyes—I keep coming back to Rep. Andrew Clyde comparing it to a "normal tourist visit" and the absolute depravity it'd take to make that statement.— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) July 27, 2021

  114. 114.

    germy

    I asked GOP Rep. Andrew Clyde, who has called 1/6 "a normal tourist visit" to react to the ongoing hearing the 1/6 select committee is holding where police officers are sharing gut wrenching testimony of what they experienced that day.“I have not heard anything yet today."

    — Annie Grayer (@AnnieGrayerCNN) July 27, 2021

  115. 115.

    Elizabelle

    @germy:  Depravity.  That is a perfect, perfect word for this.

    @WaterGirl:   Agree.  No MTG.  No cute little nicknames.  No “Tuckems”, which would leave most listeners baffled.

    Use her full name, over and over and over, tying her to whatever stupid or ugly thing she’s done lately.

  116. 116.

    Elizabelle

    My guess is that, if there is a restaurant or bar with Fox on, and the patrons are watching this, they are very, very quiet about it.  Maybe — dare we hope — ashamed.

    The networks should cover this.  It’s a public service and an educational moment.

    Best to hear from the witnesses and Committee members, unfiltered.

  118. 118.

    germy

    How do I know Trump instigated the Jan. 6 insurrection?

     

    It failed.

     

    (I saw this on a poster somewhere.)

  121. 121.

    germy

    @JWR:

    My local ABC station was the only one showing the hearings, but they cut away for local weather sports and news.

    None of my local PBS stations are bothering to air it.

    CBS, NBC… nope.

  122. 122.

    patroclus

    For most of the morning, Fox News’s chryon was “Pelosi-chosen Committee On January 6 Holds First Hearing.”  They just changed it to “Select Committee on January 6 Holds First Hearing.”  Small victory for news over propaganda.  Gonell is of Dominican descent.

  123. 123.

    guachi

    At a minimum, Fox, CNN, MSNBC, BBC World News all currently carrying the hearings live.

    Powerful Day One so far. Committee better be serious about enforcing its subpoenas in the future. And I want it all for the cameras.

  124. 124.

    zhena gogolia

    Hodges is a star. “People who associate with Donald Trump” tend to be white supremacists. He said it with a magnificent sneer.

  125. 125.

    Elizabelle

    This is interesting, about the insurrectionists’ appeals to the police officers to join them.  We’ve heard that from several witnesses.

    Did that appeal work with others?

  126. 126.

    germy

    Question:

    If someone like Jim Jordan or McCarthy or even Trump is called to testify under oath…  would they be compelled to show up?  Or would they simply ignore the request? Can the committee enforce that in any way?

  127. 127.

    Tazj

    I didn’t see Kinzinger’s testimony but I’ve read that he destroyed the false equivalency Republicans have tried to draw between the insurrection and the BLM protests.

    I’ve seen the but Whatabout them arguments really ramp up in the past few days from conservatives. Rand Paul’s wife wrote an op-Ed complaining that no one was arrested after they were harassed in the street after the RNC. Other Republicans are complaining the FBI targeted people after 1/6 but they didn’t go after people after the protests.

    I guess they’ve forgotten the tear gas, the people beaten with clubs and arrested, and the journalists who lost eyes because of rubber bullets. The peace activist that was critically injured in Buffalo. A young man set a small fire outside Buffalo city hall and was arrested the next day, yet all you here from them is they let people get away with everything at liberal protests.

  128. 128.

    Elizabelle

    @germy:   Is it possible that the Sergeant at Arms could apprehend congresscritters?

    Trump would fight it to the end, with expensive lawyers.

    But:  the Supreme Court has TVs too. They can see this.

    Don’t you think this is on in most of the Capitol Hill and district offices today?  Whether they will admit to it or not?  (GQP:  “I cannot comment, because I did not see it.  I am not familiar with that statement.  Etc etc etc.)

  129. 129.

    MazeDancer

    Every judge who is sentencing the 1/6 terrorists needs to watch this entire morning’s testimony.

    Also, Congress needs to vote a million dollar bonus to each and every police officer who fought for Democracy.

  130. 130.

    patroclus

    Fox news just switched the chryon back to “Dem-led Committee on January 6 Holds First Hearing” which isn’t inaccurate but is more like propaganda, then they switched it back to “Select Committee;” then they switched it back to “Dem-Led” again.  There’s definitely an argument going on at Fox about the chryon.  Meanwhile, we’re watching Officer Hodges’ horrific ordeal on videotape

  132. 132.

    Elizabelle

    This is great TV.  Democrats trying to save the Republic.

    No wonder it’s not on the networks.  What do they have on?  The View?  Dr. Oz?  Fuckers.

  133. 133.

    JPL

    @Tazj: Some people don’t understand the difference between state and federal crimes.   People have been arrested after violent protests in different states.

  135. 135.

    Elizabelle

    Officer Hodges re the insurrectionists:  “We need fresh patriots up here.  And there would be more.

    We need to reclaim that word.  I like that we have actual patriots in this hearing, vs. the terrorists.

  136. 136.

    jonas

    @Elizabelle: Absolutely right. They’re all going to claim they “didn’t watch” the hearings so they can’t respond to questions. There are no words for the spineless cowardice of the GQP. Pathetic human beings.

  137. 137.

    Elizabelle

    The officers were far better trained than the insurrectionists.

    We are so fortunate for that.

  138. 138.

    Brantl

    I can only hope that this gets one hell of a lot more attention than Nixon’s perfidy, and I can’t help doubting that it will. Still, I remain hopeful. I think Liz Cheney being up there is a miracle, I thought there was no bar she couldn’t snake under. Her dad never found one low enough.

  139. 139.

    Brantl

    @Elizabelle: The insurrectionists were led by a bunch of asshats that couldn’t find one hand with their other hand, if you’d lit both on fire.

  140. 140.

    Elizabelle

    Officer Hodges on outcomes had some legislators been killed or removed from Congress.  The difference in legislation.  That these rioters could have succeeded in their attack, and we are a deeply divided nation.  (Probably less so now.)

  142. 142.

    Kelly

    @Tazj: People were grabbed off the streets of Portland by anonymous men in military uniforms hauled away in unmarked vans. Peaceful protesters were gassed and beaten until all that was left was hard core brawlers.

  143. 143.

    japa21

    Raskin calling the insurrectionists “fascist terrorists”.​
      traitors not terrorists.

  144. 144.

    Elizabelle

    @Brantl:   But they had some trained military in there, too.

    Asshats, all of them, yes.  Nondeadly?  No.  Not hardly.  Just not enough of the deadly effective ones.

    At some point, I think they should show the Ashli Babbitt video of her screaming in her car.  Put that into the record.  GQP:  This is the woman you are trying to make into your secular saint.

  145. 145.

    Elizabelle

    @japa21:   Yes.  I prefer traitor to terrorist.

    Because it’s the term that describes their GOP congress critter supporters, where they can slide right out of “terrorist.”

    Traitors.  They were and are traitors.

  146. 146.

    Kay

    Cheney interests me purely on the bet she’s made. It’s high risk but it’s also high reward. If she bet right and the Trumpist party collapses or even declines she’ll be one of the leaders of whatever emerges after. Obviously it’s not that risky personally- no one will be up nights wondering whether a Cheney can make the mortgage payment, but I am interested in how that plays out.

  151. 151.

    cmorenc

    For anyone wondering how Fox’s website is covering the 1/6 hearings:
    “Nancy Pelosi’s Hand-Picked Committee” is the lead. Not the actual testimony.

    Surprise, surprise, surprise.

  152. 152.

    JMG

    @germy: A criminal contempt citation (needs vote of full House) could be issued. The Dept. of Justice would then take that to court to enforce it.

  153. 153.

    Frank Wilhoit

    @Elizabelle: Rhetorical escalation by blurring the meanings of words is not one of ours, it is one of theirs.

    Granted that we are at some kind of war with Russia, calling them traitors depends upon proof that they are working for Russia.  “Believing” it is not good enough — nor ever, tho’ that is a different conversation.

    “Terrorist”, on the other hand, fits like a glove.

  155. 155.

    zhena gogolia

    “If that’s how American tourists act, then I can see why other countries don’t like American tourists.”

    Then cites the legal definition of domestic terrorism. I love this guy!

    I love all of them. What incredible testimony. And how nice to see two Republicans do professional questioning along with their colleagues.

  159. 159.

    MattF

    Kay: I think Cheney really despises both Trump and the Trumpists. So, she’s making the best of it— which happens to be a pretty good show. And, not incidentally, good for the country. This is not to say that I agree with her about much else.

  160. 160.

    RaflW

    Rather OT, but I just noticed that the ad at the right of my screen here at BJ was for (christian, conservative) Hillsdale College. If they only knew that the ad vendor served up a crew of progressive jackals. Ha!

  161. 161.

    cmorenc

    @germy:

    If someone like Jim Jordan or McCarthy or even Trump is called to testify under oath…  would they be compelled to show up?  Or would they simply ignore the request? Can the committee enforce that in any way?

    They would try to portray themselves as being held hostage to a piece of liberal kubukai theater.  Utterly predictable from how the RW is already trying to portray the 1/6 insurrectionists.

  162. 162.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @MattF: the fact that she didn’t run for Enzi’s Senate seat after falling on her face in an attempt to unseat Barrasso makes me wonder if she hadn’t already decided her political future was limited

  163. 163.

    Soprano2

    I’m glad someone asked about the insulting “tourist” thing. Every time I see a video of 1/6 I say “just tourists” derisively. I was a tourist there; no one acted like that! It was insulting, and should be mocked at every turn.

  164. 164.

    RaflW

    @Kay: What boggles me is actually how few Republicans are making that bet. It really shows how gerrymandering, as well as perverse incentives to get TV time on Fox, OAN etc, has warped the entire GOP.

    Even at the state level, much of Minnesota Republicanism is sprayed with Trump’s spittle. Even as Biden holds rock-steady at a 55% approval rating. 10 points higher than Don sustained.

  167. 167.

    RaflW

    @MattF: She is one of the few Republicans who willingly acknowledges that even they got out of the place by the skin of their teeth. And that her fellows – Jim Jordan high among them – incited the whole damn thing.

    “While these maniacs are going through the place,” said Cheney, about the insurrection at the Capitol on 6 January, “I’m standing in the aisle and he said, ‘We need to get the ladies away from the aisle. Let me help you.’ I smacked his hand away and told him, ‘Get away from me. You fucking did this.’”

    Her seething anger is totally appropriate.

  168. 168.

    Mike in NC

    @Tazj:  The epilogue to “I Alone Can Fix It” includes an interview with Trump at Mar-A-Lago where he wistfully states that he wished he had handled protests more forcefully, as in deploying active duty troops with orders to shoot to kill. I guess he won’t be getting that addition to Mount Rushmore he asked Governor Noem about.

  173. 173.

    CaseyL

    Wow – the officer who spoke about the courage and heroism needed on that day, and on every day since, to simply come to work.  And he ends with a demand “to get to the bottom of this,”and notes that when a hit man goes to jail, so does the person who hired them.  He says the committee must specifically to get to whoever hired the hit man; i.e., Trump.

    These officers are not equivocating, are not mincing words.

  174. 174.

    Elizabelle

    The Democrats know how to run an informative Committee meeting that is not full of lies and empty drama.

    Good for Chairman Bennie Thompson and everyone who participated.

    This committee is enhanced by the Trumpist congresscritters’ absence.  It is like fresh air.

    Gaveled out at 1:00 pm on the dot.

    I just realized:  NBC must be covering the Olympics pretty much 24/7, right?  (I don’t have TV.)

  177. 177.

    Elizabelle

    @Kay:   Even if Cheney loses any further elections, history and her conscience will be kind to her.

    She has done the right thing, whether it furthers her electoral career or not.  For whatever reasons she made her choice.

    I admire the Marjorie Margolies of the world, and others who vote for good legislation at  personal risk.  Joseph Cao of Louisiana, who voted to allow the ACA legislation to go forward.  Only GOP who ever did.

  179. 179.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Frank Wilhoit:

    Granted that we are at some kind of war with Russia, calling them traitors depends upon proof that they are working for Russia.

    No, you’re thinking of treason which has the fairly precise Constitutional definition I think you’re alluding to.  ‘Treason’ is most definitely a legal term of art.

    Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think the same is true of ‘traitor’ which simply means ‘one who betrays.’  And the January 6th insurrectionists unquestionably betrayed our country, our democracy.  They are traitors.

  181. 181.

    Kent

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:@MattF: the fact that she didn’t run for Enzi’s Senate seat after falling on her face in an attempt to unseat Barrasso makes me wonder if she hadn’t already decided her political future was limited

    I lived and worked in Wyoming for a short spell.  Cheney’s problem is that she really isn’t actually from Wyoming.  She is a creature of the beltway, having spent most of her life there.  That was OK during the Bush era when the Cheney name carried actual clout and cache.  But in the Trump era it is a severe disadvantage.

    She will land on her feet and negotiate a monster pay raise in some sort of beltway consultancy or lobby firm.  Her type always do.  And Wyoming will finally be represented by a true home-grown MAGAt.

  182. 182.

    Geminid

    @Kay: Cheney certainly put her Congressional seat on the line, but she is betting on at least keeping it. If she does, she has plenty of political future ahead of her. Cheney is anathema to the radicals who control the party now. But if they can’t steal the next couple of elections, the crazies could marginalize Republicans nationally for the rest of the decade. After several cycles of losing, some of the radicals may walk away, and others may take a more pragmatic view of politics. Then, Cheney, Kinzinger and like minded Republicans might pick up the pieces.

    Cheney reminds me of Virginia  State Senator Jill Holtzman Vogel (R-Culpepper). Vogel ran a credible campaign for Lieutenant Governor in 2017, but lost in a blue wave election. But when the Republican 5th District Congressman abruptly announced his retirement the next April, Vogel did not even try to win the nomination from the 5th District Republican Commitee. A few years before, Holtzman would have been a shoo-in. Holtzman is a classic Chamber of Commerce-type Republican; her family owns a major fuel wholesaler. But she was one of three Republican Senators that helped former colleague Ralph Northam push Medicaid expansion through in early 2018.  Holtzman knew that the alliance of tea party cranks and bible thumpers that have the upper hand in the 5th would never accept her.

    Holtzman is not dropping out of politics. Like other establishment Republican politicians, she is hunkering down and waiting the radicals out. But in the meantime, more moderate Republicans are defecting. Wason Center polls of registered Virginia voters show a drop in Republican identification from 31% in December 2019 to 25% in February of this year. A majority of independents are now voting for Democrats also. Holtzman and her allies may regain control of the Virginia party, but it could be a hollowed out shell by then.

  183. 183.

    Chris Johnson

    I think Cheney and her family connections are tightly tied to the military, and that she has backup in the military, and probably some very heavy security.

    A lot of these people believe, I think, that if they step wrong Russian hit men will come and do them in. We speculate a lot about all that, but functionally what it means is that if they cross Trump or the traitor faction, they could risk being straight up murdered. It could be a direct threat, or implicit: a calculation they make when they think about whether they should flip on Trump and betray the MAGA crowd.

    Cheney does not seem to fear this. I think she has too many military friends and is a very tough target to hit. The Dems have nothing to lose as they have crosshairs on them already: just as soon as the traitors can pull off a second insurrection, they are dead men and women. There is no reason for them to waver… though, politically, there is every reason for them to PRETEND they are not grimly determined to see it through. What centrists still remain, will be wanting the facade of what used to be our reality. They will want the kayfabe, the pretense of a functioning country with working political parties.

  185. 185.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Betty Cracker: He’s right, too. “Using  terror to coerce a civilian population” is exactly what these chucklefucks were explicitly trying to do. They’re terrorists. Seditionists, too.

  187. 187.

    burnspbesq

    @mrmoshpotato:

    A whole bunch of Congressional and Senatorial Trump trash need to be repeatedly punched in the dick.

    Whatcha gonna do with Greene and Boebert?

  188. 188.

    Kay

    @RaflW: 

    What boggles me is actually how few Republicans are making that bet. It really shows how gerrymandering, as well as perverse incentives to get TV time on Fox, OAN etc, has warped the entire GOP.

    We don’t know the alternate version of GOP history though. Say they had quashed Trump and Trumpism and lost OR won with Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio in 2016.
    They had to go in some different direction from the direction they were going in: pre-Trump Republicanism looks like the better option for them only in theory. The Romney/Cheney Party was not vital and growing either. Just PURELY as a political matter Trump was not that bad a bet. What was the alernative? Eke out another Bush v Gore type “win”? Jeb Fucking Bush and Marco Rubio were the future of that Party?
    The thing with “conventional Republicans” is they never look at their own side of the street. What. exactly, was going on in that Party that led to Donald Trump being the best option? If they’re going to be the Keepers of the Standards then they’re responsible when the standards slip.

  189. 189.

    burnspbesq

    @Anomalous Cowherd:

    For years I’ve been telling people that Trump is the 21st-century  version of Gorgeous George.

    That would make Biden Bruno Sammartino, wouldn’t it?

  190. 190.

    Jinchi

    @RaflW:

    If they only knew that the ad vendor served up a crew of progressive jackals. Ha!

    They know. It’s done deliberately.

    They’re saturating political media with references to right wing ideas. This primes the search algorithm. Then, when you post on Twitter or Facebook, guess whose agenda will show up on your friend’s feeds under the “you may also like …” suggestions?

    There’s a reason why you probably know more about what Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson said on any given day than about what Rachel Maddow or Elizabeth Warren did.

  191. 191.

    Geminid

    @burnspbesq: Greene is in the +R 30 or more Georgia 14th District. Boebert won the CO 3rd by six points, same  as trump. Depending on how the new state redistricting commission draws the 3rd, Boebert  may be beatable. But like the Georgia 14th, the Colorado 3rd is a “corner” district. The western line rums along the Utah border, and the southern line is the New Mexico border. So with Colorado gaining a seat, the 3rd may end up more Republican next election..

  192. 192.

    burnspbesq

    @germy:

    Can the committee enforce that in any way?

    Heck yeah. Treat a refusal to show up when under subpoena as criminal contempt. Will make for an interesting interaction between the Marshal’s Service and Trump’s Secret Service detail when they go to arrest his ass.

  193. 193.

    Jinchi

    @Kay: ​

    We don’t know the alternate version of GOP history though. Say they had quashed Trump and Trumpism and lost OR won with Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio in 2016.

    To be clear. The runner up to Trump in the 2016 primary was Ted Cruz. Marco was a distant 3rd. Kasich came in 4th overall only because he left his name on the ballot until there was literally no doubt Trump had won it. Jeb dropped out in February having never done better than 4th place and endorsed Cruz.
    2016 Republicans were supporting all manner of awful. It’s crazy to think that Jeb was one of the better options.​

  194. 194.

    sab

    @zhena gogolia: My guess too, but I think also coastal Virginia. His rrrs don’t sound like the rural inland and with that non-rhotic (mostly not pronounced) r.

  195. 195.

    sab

    @zhena gogolia: The female congressmen don’t know what it feels like to be a dad who might not make it home that night. My husband was crying too. I was surprised.

  196. 196.

    Geminid

    @sab: It sounds like people have narrowed Fanone’s origin to somewhere between Wilmington,North Carolina, Wheeling, West Virginia, and Baltimore, Maryland. But whatever his accent, Fanone’s affect was angry.

  197. 197.

    James E Powell

    @WaterGirl:

    I think we should stop using her full name, that gives her some special status like Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

    Or like Lee Harvey Oswald.

  199. 199.

    James E Powell

    @Chris Johnson:

    I think Cheney and her family connections are tightly tied to the military, and that she has backup in the military

    Defense contractors & extraction industries rather than evangelicals & car dealers.

  200. 200.

    Bluegirlfromwyo

    @Kent: I’m still counting on the MAGATs to split their votes in the primary. The GOP has proven beyond a doubt that collective action in the face of a common enemy ain’t their thing.

  201. 201.

    J R in WV

    @Tony Jay: ​
     

    You can smell the scalded bumcheeks from this side of the Atlantic.

    Ooooh, what does that smell like??? Not lavender I bet!!

  202. 202.

    sab

    @Geminid: I know it is not important, but like Betty Cracker, I am still wildly curious. I doubt we will ever know

    ETA Good for him and his family. They deserve all the privacy they can preserve.

  204. 204.

    Geminid

    @sab: I thought the discussion of Fanone’s accent was interesting. I just caught a snippet of him on WTOP. Sounded a little Marylandish to me. Coastal. I’ll be kind of sad when accents get blended out.

  209. 209.

    brantl

    @Frank Wilhoit: Traitor means you are working against your country, you don’t have to be working for another one. If you are treacherous to the interests of your country, then you are a traitor.

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