Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Democracy cannot function without a free press.

The words do not have to be perfect.

Republicans in disarray!

So many bastards, so little time.

Anne Laurie is a fucking hero in so many ways. ~ Betty Cracker

“woke” is the new caravan.

Do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves? (hint, door #2)

Let me file that under fuck it.

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

Stop using mental illness to avoid talking about armed white supremacy.

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

The unpunished coup was a training exercise.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

The lights are all blinking red.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

Fight for a just cause, love your fellow man, live a good life.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

SCOTUS: It’s not “bribery” unless it comes from the Bribery region of France. Otherwise, it’s merely “sparkling malfeasance”.

Museums are not America’s attic for its racist shit.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

People are complicated. Love is not.

Let’s bury these fuckers at the polls 2 years from now.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

You are here: Home / Jan 6: Hearings / Jan 6 Hearing – Day 8, Part 2

Reader Interactions

245Comments

  1. 1.

    Spanky

    Nice to go into recess with Hawley running away. That’s what the commentators are teeing up on.

  7. 7.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Mike E:

    Boom!

    Also, as I mentioned downstairs, it’s pretty amazing Water Girl can stitch together three different iterations of a 20-year-old website with all its attendant data and detail, and we can’t recover deleted texts from the USSS?

  8. 8.

    Scout211

    This is the first of the hearings that Mr. Scout has watched. He is very impressed, as well he should be. He said, “They’re doing a good job of nailing him, aren’t they?”

    I need to watch Hawley running away again . . .and again . . .  There will be memes, for sure.

  10. 10.

    Gigi (formerly matryoshka)

    The whole thing about the missing SS texts is weird. I work for a big corporation that changes and updates hard- and software at regular intervals and somehow they manage to retain every IM, email, file, and document of thousands of employees.

    Also, the White House photographer isn’t allowed to take photos? No explanation for that.

  12. 12.

    Roger Moore

    @HumboldtBlue:

    Also, as I mentioned downstairs, it’s pretty amazing Water Girl can stitch together three different iterations of a 20-year-old website with all its attendant data and detail, and we can’t recover deleted texts from the USSS?

    There are so many ways to fail if you don’t want to succeed.

  20. 20.

    JWR

    Funny how CBS is allowed to use the word “fuck” on live TV, but Stephen Colbert, et all, have to bleep their reportage.

  24. 24.

    Sure Lurkalot

    I need ANOTHER SHOWER. Fuck, they are all trash people.

    OK. Another sip of wine. Breathe.

  25. 25.

    citizen dave

    Maybe part of Kinzinger’s calculus is trying to get his own family members out of the cult.  So he goes with the full language.

  26. 26.

    piratedan

    so….. Pat, essentially everyone in the staff was appalled except for the Fat Bastard himself and yet…..

    here we are and none  of these folks offered any assistance during Impeachment #2

  27. 27.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    amid all this horror, that isn’t over yet, it will never not be funny to me that Junior new his daddy wouldn’t take his calls

  29. 29.

    WaterGirl

    @HumboldtBlue: Just to be clear, I did not do the stitching together.  That was the site developers.  I just helped with prep so stuff could be merged and now I’m helping with the cleanup.

  32. 32.

    Geminid

    @HumboldtBlue: The Secret Service has its own office specializing in digital communications that not only was capable of preserving messages but also would be good at erasing them.

    Don’t know if it’s true but I read today that the inquiry into these missing messages has become a criminal investigation.

  46. 46.

    MisterForkbeard

    Jesus, Jared is such a fucking terrible person. He’s even terrible to listen to.

  49. 49.

    Scout211

    Ewww Jared. Did you have to tell us you got the call out of the shower naked?! What is wrong with these people?

  53. 53.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @dmsilev: those are so funny I’ll allow the inclusion of Kate Bush, who I hope is making bank from that TV show

  54. 54.

    Immanentize

    I just realized why Kushner looks so bad all the time. He has botoxed his forehead into permanent paralysis.

  57. 57.

    Layer8Problem

    @Scout211:  He was born sneering.

    He and his wife look like they have no fingerprints, not a wrinkle or a line between them.

  60. 60.

    MisterForkbeard

    Man, this film of Trump trying to make his video is just painful. Again: What an awful fucking human being

    ETA: Seriously, he basically says they’re right to riot and attack and overthrow the country but not to “play into the hands” of Democrats. What a fucking monster.

  63. 63.

    HumboldtBlue

    Jesus Fucking Christ watching this asshole speak makes me want to do horrible things!

  65. 65.

    citizen dave

    Jared: “The President was basically retiring for the day”  He worked?  Ever?

    I want to watch every T voter watch that and then tell me why they voted for the POS.

  67. 67.

    Steeplejack

    I wish somebody someday would muss up Pat Cipollone’s hair. Really fuck it up. Maybe accidentally pull out a tuft.

  76. 76.

    Mike E

    Matthews being unequivocal… good.

    We’re getting to the wrap-up, it’s been another strong and damning presentation.

  86. 86.

    Mike E

    @raven: and, contrast her words with Turd 187’s deputy campaign chief being called out for his mealy mouthed words and needing prodding to characterize these shitty rioters more appropriately.

  92. 92.

    HumboldtBlue

    “The so-called clown car”, well fuck, that’s what it was. Just far more fucking nasty and traitorous.

  98. 98.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Omnes Omnibus: I’ve clarified elsewhere that he’s an “absolute shitbird of human being”, which is really just more on the nose. Though “Traitor” works too, I think.

  104. 104.

    piratedan

    @Baud: well, I’m sure he was concerned about all of the great work that they had done in Foreign policy would be in danger… or else Putin’s check had yet to clear….

  107. 107.

    Anotherlurker

    This  Pottinger clown still has a brown ring on his neck from having his head up trump’s ass.

    I intensely dislike this frat boy asshole.

  108. 108.

    HumboldtBlue

    Kinzinger was president of the Campus Republicans who repeatedly got his ass handed to him by Lambda, Lambda, Lambda.

    Sweet Jesus beating orphans with the bones of their dead workhouse comrades, these outtakes are fucking gobsmackingly enraging!

  109. 109.

    raven

    @Anotherlurker:

    A 2018 Politico profile described Pottinger as “a fairly typical conservative internationalist” who “has never been a Trump-style #MAGA conservative” and who donated to both Democrats and Republicans.[19] In 2017, he was hired as a member of the U.S. National Security Council of the administration of Donald Trump.[20][21][22] Michael Flynn, whom Pottinger had worked for in the military, made him the NSC’s Asia director, and he remained in his position under H. R. McMaster and John Bolton.

  113. 113.

    MisterForkbeard

    This next trump clip is just fucking awful. Again: What an awful shitbird of a human being.

    Also, look at him struggle and yell at the camera.

  116. 116.

    Ken

    @Scout211: Ewww Jared. Did you have to tell us you got the call out of the shower naked?!

    “Cause I don’t shower in my swimming suit, like in high school. Not at home anyway, obviously the gym is different….”

  117. 117.

    zhena gogolia

    Interesting he uses Nixon as an example instead of Gore. I wonder if he’ll mention that.

    ETA: Okay, here it is.

  118. 118.

    Anonymous At Work

    Can Democrats get equal time after Pottinger’s free advertising for neo-conservative authoritarianism?

  119. 119.

    mrmoshpotato

    I’m impressed with (and concerned for) you who have watched all of these hearings.  I’m incandescent with rage right now.

  123. 123.

    Steeplejack

    Not sure it’s good to let this witness freestyle it.

    ETA: Pottinger! Couldn’t remember his name. Cut him off!

  131. 131.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    listening to him drone on, I take comfort in knowing The Beast probably threw his ice cream (two scoops!) at the wall over the way he looked in those outtakes

  136. 136.

    Spanky

    @Steeplejack: No no! Let him talk! The country needs to hear what these True Americans sound like.

    I’m getting a real Colonel Flag vibe from this guy, for those old enough to remember. I think there was a character in Catch 22 who was the same.

  137. 137.

    Anotherlurker

    @raven: Him and those like him turn my stomach.  I grew up as the offspring of cooks, maids and gardeners  who worked on North Shore L.I. Estates.  He reminds me of the self entitled offspring who were born on 3rd and think they hit a triple.

    To my bartender’s instinct, he is a phony asshole who will pay his tab with a $10.00 bill and then tell you he gave you a $50.00.

    Enough of this ex-Marine , Oliver North patriotic oath bullshit. If he worked for trump for 4 years, he approved of what was going on around him.  The asshole is only trying to cover his Nazi ass.

  138. 138.

    piratedan

    and as we hear all of these GOP leaders speaking about Trump’s culpability in the aftermath of J6, then not even six hours later, they refuse to certify the results and then go all scorched earth on everything Democratic, every opportunity to actually divest themselves of Trump, rejected out of hand.

  140. 140.

    Doug R

    Nice to see January 2021 Kevin McCarthy speaking the truth.
    I wonder what July 2022 Kevin McCarthy will say tomorrow?

  141. 141.

    citizen dave

    I think a wonderful jackal pointed it out, but we should never forget or forgive that Biden-Harris were denied the normal transition activities.

  149. 149.

    citizen dave

    One would expect that a shitstain would be left over after the four year shitshow.

  150. 150.

    Fair Economist

    I’d gotten the feeling this hearing was building up to really bringing down the hammer, and Kinzinger is doing it.

  151. 151.

    HumboldtBlue

    Now I know who Rep. Luria reminds me of in timing, timbre and speech, Kristen Schaal.

  152. 152.

    SamIAm

    That speech from Kinzinger was awesome.  Even with the “liberal media” quip.  I guess some habits die hard

  157. 157.

    JWR

    @citizen dave:

    Biden-Harris were denied the normal transition

    I remember the Shrub admin partially blaming 9-11 on Gore for forcing a shortened transition.

  159. 159.

    piratedan

    @Layer8Problem: my thoughts…. who made the calculation to circle those political wagons and who pulled those strings to make that happen.  Sorry to go so conspiracy theory, but guys like McCarthy are free of independent thought and are but reeds in search of a wind.

  161. 161.

    MisterForkbeard

    @HumboldtBlue: The best…. is yet to come

    Also, this from Cheney is great. Shaming the “50, 60 and 70 year old men who hide behind executive privilege”.

  167. 167.

    JoyceH

    What I love is the juxtaposition of the Hawley clip and the notice of new hearings in September. So every Republican in Congress has two months to wonder how they came across on the security cameras on 1/6.

  168. 168.

    Geminid

    @Baud: Pottinger probably appeals to Hew Hewitt types, Wall Street Journal Republicans. In fact, Pottinger’s boss, Robert C. O’Brian, is an old buddy of Hewitt’s.

  170. 170.

    Anotherlurker

    OMG! Liz is moving in close with a butcher knife, in her summation.  I still despise and mis-trust her, but she knows how to inflict some serious slash and burn.

  172. 172.

    Geminid

    @Geminid: Now I’m wondering where Robert O’Brien was January 6. Did trump’s National Security Advisor know it would be a good day not to be in Washington?

  181. 181.

    SpaceUnit

    If nothing else tonight’s presentation should ensure that Trump is tangled up in about a bazillion civil lawsuits for the rest of his miserable life.  Negligence has been established.

  182. 182.

    Mike E

    Cheney, doing the Great GOP Pivot there, overtly flapping those white sheets of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan in the political wind. Meh

  183. 183.

    citizen dave

    Turned over to rage watch ABC and sure enough fucking Chris Christie is 2nd talking head, apparently from his house.  Fuck.  Saying he tried to call trump 3 times that afternoon.  Fuck him and ABC.

  187. 187.

    HumboldtBlue

    @JWR:

    I just texted my sister that I may remember Watergate, barely, Iran Contra in passing, and every other important hearing in passing but from day one have watched every minute of these hearings and want more.

  192. 192.

    Almost Retired

    Oh my.  I’ve had my cigarette, and I’m ready for another round.  But I have to wait until September.  With all these additional texts, raw footage and former staffers suddenly getting new lawyers, a lot of Trump allies on Capital Hill are going to have a tense Labor Day barbecue.

    I couldn’t figure out why the Committee called Doug Neidermeyer to testify in person today, but then I realized it was someone else.

  193. 193.

    Ohio Mom

    Kitzinger (and maybe I just don’t know enough about him) is the only Republican I don’t feel dirty when I enjoy their comments — Pottinger, that blonde nebish communications staffer, Cheney with her Reagan and Thatcher fandom — ick, ick, triple ick.

    I kept reminding myself that they mainly serve to demonstrate that Trump is so heinous that he’s too henious for ordinary heinous Republicans.

  195. 195.

    JWR

    @HumboldtBlue: Same here. But what I’m hoping for is more hastily called hearings during the month of August, because this is a mini-series I’m really liking.

  196. 196.

    Steeplejack

    @emrys:

    I’m okay with that! Apparently Chris Hayes had to leave because it’s past his bedtime.

    ETA: I know they’re trying to work in Ann Curry, but she needs to up her game a bit.

  198. 198.

    BeautifulPlumage

    No one mentioning the Bannon bit at the end. Using Stevie Three-Shirts to prove premeditation, on the day I his defense rests without witnesses? Hahahahahah!

  203. 203.

    Captain C

    @JWR:

    I remember the Shrub admin partially blaming 9-11 on Gore for forcing a shortened transition.

    Gore, whose colleagues in the Clinton Administration told the Bush people that Bin Laden and his gang would be their major international headache and here’s what’s being done to stop them, and were promptly and brusquely rebuffed and ignored.

  206. 206.

    JWR

    Yet another reason the Dems absolutely must hold the House come November. Not for fear of investigations, but for putting up with know-nothing loudmouth’s like Loudermilk.

    GOP lawmaker who gave Jan. 5 tour wants to investigate Jan. 6 panel
    Rep. Barry Loudermilk, who led a tour of the Capitol complex on the eve of the riot and faced questions for it earlier this year, may soon chair the committee in charge of Hill security.

  207. 207.

    Geminid

    @Steeplejack: The hearings will help Luria’s fundraising if nothing else.  Republicans are going all out against Luria, even nominated another retired woman Navy officer to run against her.

    Besides Cheney, Elaine Luria is the only Commitee membee with a tough reelection. Murphy and Kinzinger are retiring.

  208. 208.

    catclub

    @Scout211: ​
     

    Dereliction of duty. Thank you Rep Kinzinger.

    They sure look like they are making the case for a rec to DOJ.
    Hammering that nail pretty hard.

  210. 210.

    Steeplejack

    Think I’m going to finish my drink and cap the evening with Perry Mason on MeTV. Another force for justice in the world.

  212. 212.

    artem1s

    @Ohio Mom:

    I kept reminding myself that they mainly serve to demonstrate that Trump is so heinous that he’s too henious for ordinary heinous Republicans

    keep reminding yourself that Liz spanked Hawley publicly, not because he egged on a violent crowd, but because he put HER in danger. She had no trouble with her father egging on these same deplorables to commit violent acts against abortion providers, homosexuals, African Americans, Muslims, immigrants, and whoever they could use to deflect blame away from themselves while they robbed the country blind and committed acts of genocide and torture.

  213. 213.

    Chbnna

    @Mike E: abc news was discussing it too, in fact that’s one of the first things they talked about, that the committee seems to be focusing on the dereliction of duty and incitement. It’s the first time i’ve heard them talk about criminal charges.

  214. 214.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    do the people always harping about Dems suckatmessaging and need to learn about the internet know about Brian Schatz? He’s very good at twitter but apparently hates to do TV

    Brian Schatz @brianschatz 15m

    This is like a fifth tier issue but I cannot get it out of my mind that several of the most powerful pundits in the country trashed this Committee before it even began the work. Just remember that the next time they scold Democrats, which presumable will be this Sunday.

    I was there. I was evacuated. I sat as a juror for impeachment trial. I lived it. But this Committee has me glued to the screen, learning new things, ever more outraged, ever more clear that Donald Trump continues to be an existential threat to the American experiment.

  215. 215.

    Misterpuff

    What a production. Now that’s how you do a Committee meeting. Fill prime time until 15 minutes before the late news. And Cheney’s Spawn made it clear for the mouth-breathing MAGAts, that everything we the Commitee presented to you was not the attacks of partisans but the damning testimony of his own people, Republicans and many true believers, and even they can’t defend him.

    Oh and I had withdrawal symptoms this afternoon……

  216. 216.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Ohio Mom: I kept reminding myself that they mainly serve to demonstrate that Trump is so heinous that he’s too heinous for ordinary heinous Republicans.

    LOL!

  217. 217.

    JWR

    @Captain C: Yep. I remember that story. And who could ever forget Shrub’s response to receiving the PDB titled “Bin Laden Determined To Strike in USA”, by saying, “okay, you’ve covered your ass”? But I forget if that was the time he followed up by saying, “now watch this drive!”

  219. 219.

    Ken

    @Layer8Problem: What led them to go from “this is bad, very bad” to “no can certify, because reasons?”

    The dangerous mob went away, and turned back into the Republican base?

  222. 222.

    RaflW

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: This is an excellent catch/retweet by Schatz tonight:

    Brian Schatz retweeted
    Aaron Rupar @atrupar
    Jan 4, 2021

    BRET BAIER: I want to pin you down on what you’re trying to do. Are you trying to say that Trump will be president after January 20?

    JOSH HAWLEY: Well, that depends on what happens on Wednesday

    BAIER: No it doesn’t
    (Trump in fact lost an election!)

    View the tweet to see the video clip.

  225. 225.

    Geminid

    @JWR: That story is recounted in the first few pages of Robert Gordon and Bernard Trainor’s history of the planning and execution of the second Gulf War, titled Cobra II (2004). According to them it was Bill Clinton who warned Bush when they met before Bush’s inauguration

    (I mean the story Captain C referred to).

  228. 228.

    James E Powell

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Not to pick a fight on the messaging issue, but the fact that Senator Schatz is not as well-known nationally as Graham, Cruz, Rubio, Collins, Hawley and several GOP congress-creatures is a Democratic Party problem. And I saw him on TV a few years ago and he is very good.

    I don’t know why Democrats Brain Schatz, Sherrod Brown, Jeff Merkley, Catherine Cortez Maso, Alex Padilla, and Ben Ray Lujan (sorry if I missed someone you like) aren’t on TV as often as the Republicans, but I do know it’s a big problem that they are not.

  231. 231.

    Steeplejack

    @NotMax:

    Thanks. I have seen every episode multiple times, so it’s not a binge target for me. Just a nice check-in available once or twice a day. Also a four-episode block on Sundance later tonight (and every Thursday).

  232. 232.

    Brachiator

    I was working from home and my sister called and asked if I was watching the hearings. She said it reminded her of a science fiction movie.

    Why are they coming back for more in September?  It’s clear that Trump was trying to use the riot to drag shit out, hoping that he could find a way to overturn the election. It’s also pretty damn clear that the Constitution means nothing to Trump.

    His ass needs to be in jail.

    That Trump filters his reality through Fox News is frightening.

    Republican politicians knew what Trump was up to. Those who tried to get him to stop the insurrection but who now provide cover for him still don’t understand where this might lead.

    Jake Tapper, Chuck Todd and other pundits are beyond useless. They view this as just another day of political theater. They would cover their own arrest and political executions with the same amount of bland, meaningless commentary.

  233. 233.

    Captain C

    @JWR: I think “watch this drive” was after, as per this YouTube find, and “You’ve covered your ass” was before.  Both definitely symptoms of a callous administration and President who had, as Dick Cheney (I think it was) said, “other priorities.”

    ETA:  Yes I think Dick was talking about his five or so Vietnam deferments, but it fits the whole Shrub Administration as well.

  234. 234.

    Captain C

    @James E Powell:

    I don’t know why Democrats Brain Schatz, Sherrod Brown, Jeff Merkley, Catherine Cortez Maso, Alex Padilla, and Ben Ray Lujan (sorry if I missed someone you like) aren’t on TV as often as the Republicans, but I do know it’s a big problem that they are not.

    If it’s anything like what we heard about the Afghanistan evacuation, the various shows’ bookers are the problem.

  236. 236.

    NotMax

    @Steeplejack

    Also on Freevee is the very early 1950s series Dangerous Assignment (TV successor to the radio program), starring Brian Donleavy as a globe-hopping “special U.S. agent” sent out on short notice to troubleshoot for an unnamed federal agency. A speedy half hour per episode. Almost marvelously simplistic now, yet retains a certain je ne sais quoi. Half the fun is seeing later much more well known actors in guest roles.

    Fascinated by the short opening sequence, which today would be a snap to recreate using SFX but back then, near as can determine, called for an extremely skillful and precise professional knife thrower.

  238. 238.

    prostratedragon

    @NotMax:  The 30-minute tv drama was an interesting form. Amazing how much ground a really well-written one could cover.

  239. 239.

    RaflW

    @James E Powell: Guys like the late Eric Boehlert tried for years to name and shame the networks and their bookers, who choose Rs over Ds for their shows like 3:1 or 4:1. Maybe it’s a little bit the fault of Dems, but it’s the fucking bias of the TV shows.

  240. 240.

    NotMax

    @prostratedragon

    One can tell the writers were not yet fully comfortable with the visual nature of TV. Still has some tidbits such as:

    “I’m certain what we’re looking for is behind that door, Joan.”

    “Are we going to open the door, Steve?”

    On radio, the sound of a door being opened would follow. On TV the second line, setting up the sound effect, is superfluous but still a part of the script.

    :)

  241. 241.

    lowtechcyclist

    @JWR:

    And who could ever forget Shrub’s response to receiving the PDB titled “Bin Laden Determined To Strike in USA”, by saying, “okay, you’ve covered your ass”?

    And that PDB was no one-off, either.  It was the culmination of a sequence of five or six PDBs that were increasingly shrill in their warnings about bin Laden being an imminent threat.

    The intel community was desperately trying to get through to him about bin Laden, and he totally dismissed it.

    Basically because (a) he and Cheney had their sights set on Iraq all along, wanting to play the world like it was a Risk board, and (b) bin Laden was the Democrats’ obsession, and while they weren’t as far along as Trump & Co. would be about making sure that however the Dems did things, that’s what they wouldn’t do, but they were sure working on it.

  242. 242.

    There go two miscreants

    @piratedan: ​guys like McCarthy are free of independent thought and are but reeds in search of a wind.

    Nice turn of phrase!

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