Tonight in prime time, on televisions across most major networks (except regrettably for Fox News, whose audience perhaps most needs to watch the proceedings), the January 6 Committee will kick off its long-awaited public hearings.
This is probably the first time the statement "what they don't want you to know" can be said truthfully, rather than the bait for a conspiracy theory. I suppose Fox can use their line on themselves now, and finally be telling the truth.
I see Trumps desperate attempts to hold on to power separate from Jan 6 riot. I only see a very soft connection between the two. Trying to link Trump to Jan 6 is futile. Claiming he is guilty through his "inactions" is a dangerous road to go down and not sure if we as a country should set that as the standard.
I see a danger in pursuing Jan 6. If the rule of law is to prosecute those who disrupt an official proceeding, what would happen if people try to disrupt the confirmation of a SCOTUS nomination (Kavanaugh is a good example)? or if protestors disrupt a proceeding to determine the future of the Keystone XL pipeline? or if protestors conduct a sit-in to stop legislation (Cortez-Pelosi). Would these individuals be subject to 20 years in prison? or are we only pursuing prosecution if the protest is for a cause we disagree with? Good for thee and not for me.
When this becomes weaponized and the weapon is turned towards us - we should be scared. Remember when Harry Reid invoked the Nuclear Option? Yes that came back to bite us in the ass. This too will come back.
So using your logic, there should never have been any hearings into Senator Joseph McCarthy, and he should have been allowed to continue to destroy innocent peoples lives? Or that there should have been no attempt to investigate the Watergate break-in or any of Nixon’s men?
This was NOT a “protest” by any definition of the word. This was a long and well planned attempt at a seditious coup, to disregard the WILL OF THE PEOPLE, and keep a losing candidate in office, even if it resulted in the death of the Vice President, and others.
And according to US law, no one is above the law, not even the President!
But Jan 6 was not a protest and honestly it goes beyond the definition of riot. There is a huge and distinct difference between protesters standing outside the Capitol with signs and chants and what happened here. It wasn't a "sit in". What happened Jan 6 was an illegal attempt at disrupting a legal proceeding, I don't think that's even in question. Had they not breeched or even attempted to breech the Capitol it would be a different story. The "riot" is definitely directly tied to trump's attempt to hold on to power- they were trying to stop certification, they wanted Pence. He riled them prior to the march, he told them first that if Pence did what he was supposed to that the presidency fell back to him (recorded) and then later told them Pence did not do what he was supposed to do. He frigging tweeted after the rioting started stating Pence didn't do what he was "supposed" to do- they have film of that tweet being read to the crowd. I don't see how ANYONE doesn't see a connection between what happened on that day and trump, that day happened BECAUSE of trump- he got them there, he riled them up, he sent them to do what they did. Everything that happened happened because of trumps "actions"- his inaction, his watching of the insurrection for hours as Capitol Police fought like hell, his not calling the National Guard the MINUTE there was a problem, him ignoring the pleas of those around him to put a stop to it- that is 100% proof of guilt. What person in power sits and watches that stuff go down and just allows it? Only a person who WANTS that to go down. There is absolutely no danger is pursuing Jan 6, there is only danger in NOT because if they don't pursue it, if they don't go after those responsible, it will happen again. From you inane comments I also assume you are of the belief trump should be allowed to run again?? What happens when he loses again?
I'm not sure you understand what a "riot" is. You should look up the definition of "riot".
I'm not saying this is a "sit-in". If the standard is "disrupting an official proceeding" then Cortez's "sit-in" in an attempt to disrupt Pelosi's congressional duties would qualify. Should she be subject to the same standard of law? Should people who disrupted the confirmation of Kavanaugh be under the same standard?
Trump is morally responsible for the riot. Unless you have evidence he orchestrated or had preknowledge of the breech of the Capitol, I don't think he's legally responsible. That's always been the standard of this country.
Convicting someone for inaction is not Constitutional. It may be despicable, but not convictable in a court of law. In action is NOT proof of guilt. You know the House Sargent of Arms and Senate Sargent of Arms could have called in the National Guard and you're going to hang this on Trump.
Yes, Trump should be allowed to run again. He represents half this country. If his ideas are so intolerable, then send someone out with better ideas and better arguments. If you can't defeat him, then that's on you. It shouldn't even be close. The Democrats are in charge of both houses and the White House. They don't realize that the country is suffering and all they can do is hold a kangaroo court. They are completely disconnected with how this country is feeling, but instead focusing on this joke of a trial. We're about a month away from declaring a recession, inflation is at a 40 year high, I just paid $6.59/g for gas and our leaders are wasting their time with this mock trial. I'm just surprised that Pelosi hasn't picked up her violin while watching this country burn.
I'm really hoping it's Trump v Biden part 2 - because Andrew Yang will take home the Presidency, and maybe then we can get a legitimate 3rd party.
Riot: a violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd". If its not a riot what was it???? There was violence, there was death. It wasn't a riot? You're delusional to say it's not.
The people who were to certify the electors had to be moved to a safe space....that a rioter tried to breech by crawling through a window that other rioters broke. You don't think that's disrupting an official proceeding? You are comparing this to a sit in??? They are even close to the same level. Again delusional.
And yes all of this, every last little bit of this should be hung on fRump. 100%. because NONE of this would have happened if the sociopath, that some how you think should be free to run again, hadn't spent all his time spreading lies and whipping up his base. None of it. He felt he was above the law. He's not.
And no, he no longer represents half this country. He lost a lot of support since the election. And if his immoral ways represent you then you are as reprehensible as him. Anyone who still supports him is morally inept.
Oh gas prices....who the hell would you be blaming it on if he had won?? Because you know it's global, not controlled by the president and would have happened no matter who was in office.
This is not a sham of an investigation- you say ass hat represents half the country?? Well this committee represents the other half (MORE than half) and the more than half it represents is the moral, actually loves our country and respects our constitution half. Because anyone who feels he shouldn't be held accountable and we should leave the door opened for it to happen again has no respect for the rule of law in this country.
BTW- he didn't have a good idea in the entire 4 years. The "good" he took credit for was him riding the coat tails of others.
You were the one that said "beyond riot". So yes look it up. I said it WAS a riot.
If Trump lost half his support, you shouldn't worry about him running again. I'm not.
Biden stopped Keystone pipeline, stopped fracking, stopped the use of federal land for oil. Before Biden we were energy independent. Biden was taking a hardline against Saudi Arabia for killing a WaPo reporter. Biden's position on Ukraine joining NATO contributed to the war. I'm not saying these are bad policies, but high gas prices are the results of this administration's policy. When you enact all these policies at the same time, you shouldn't be surprised that high gas prices are the results.
Yes this investigation is a sham. I once believed these investigations but then realized that Trump's charges of Russian collusion was completely falsified by the DNC. All you will see is a bunch of blowhards grandstanding and NO convictions. This is a big nothing burger that is wasting time and money that should be spent solving gun problems, immigration, economy, gas prices, inflation, $1.5T student debt, police reform, next round of COVID infections expected this fall, codify the right to abortion. You think it's all these issues take a backseat to this kangaroo court? What do you think the average American is more concerned with? Putting food on the table? Filling the gas tank? Or grandstanding that goes nowhere?
It was an insurrection, which is "more" than just a riot. It was an act against the US government, not just a riot.
Oh yea the stopping of the Keystone pipeline that had been being built (and stopped) for what 20 years? That wasn't anywhere near complete? That was for the transport of tar sand which is harder to process, that even if it had been completed was targeted for the export and not for use here? That affected today's gas prices how? It didn't. And we are just as energy "independent" now as we were when Biden took office- and no trump did NOT make us 100% energy independent, we were a net importer of oil under trump and we are still a net importer of oil. It's a very complicated issue, one that includes many things other than imports of oil. By definition we are just as "energy independent" now as we were under him. Yes he stopped fracking and drilling on federal land, as he should, but also ordered new drilling permits. more than trump. Now he can't force those to be used but they have been ordered. As well as the release of more oil reserves and some other stuff. And you think we should have withdrawn from NATO instead? Because that's what trump wanted. Bottom line price of gas- supply and demand. Supply is still low (not back to precovid) and demand is higher. Simple math. Well plus the war but I would rather see a hard line against Russia than partnering with them as we would under trump. But again, he does not control it and neither did trump.
Collusion with Russia was not falsified. But go ahead and think that. And again, sweeping everything trump did under the rug and letting him run again will simply allow it to happen again and this time it will be worse. Everything he did to try to stop certification, all the lies, the planning, the schemes he pushed, all illegal. You give that narcissistic psychopath another shot and he loses, what happens then? You saw what happened the first time. And we should be ok with just letting this happen? We should not investigate? Had this been Obama do you think the Republicans would have let it go? Oh absolutely not. The hypocrisy is disgusting. And yes I do believe that protecting Democracy, protecting the sanctity of the office of the President, investigating all the illegal and immoral activities of this guy are important. This is running in parallel with everything else going on in the government, and millions of Americans think it's important. And yes we also think the other things are important but the Republicans have already shot down policies for things like price gouging which would help with the price of gas and other inflation related items, they will NEVER allow the abortion to be codified, NEVER allow any kind of real gun legislation or really anything that their constituents want because so long as a Democrat brings it to the table they will vote against it. The only way ANY of that gets done is to bring more Dems to the Senate, but until that happens you won't see shit being done about anything remotely important and it has zip to do with the hearings.
This is probably the first time the statement "what they don't want you to know" can be said truthfully, rather than the bait for a conspiracy theory. I suppose Fox can use their line on themselves now, and finally be telling the truth.
As always, thank you, Jay, for the concise summary! Here is to hoping that democracy will prevail.
Merrick Garland, soon it will be time.
I see Trumps desperate attempts to hold on to power separate from Jan 6 riot. I only see a very soft connection between the two. Trying to link Trump to Jan 6 is futile. Claiming he is guilty through his "inactions" is a dangerous road to go down and not sure if we as a country should set that as the standard.
I see a danger in pursuing Jan 6. If the rule of law is to prosecute those who disrupt an official proceeding, what would happen if people try to disrupt the confirmation of a SCOTUS nomination (Kavanaugh is a good example)? or if protestors disrupt a proceeding to determine the future of the Keystone XL pipeline? or if protestors conduct a sit-in to stop legislation (Cortez-Pelosi). Would these individuals be subject to 20 years in prison? or are we only pursuing prosecution if the protest is for a cause we disagree with? Good for thee and not for me.
When this becomes weaponized and the weapon is turned towards us - we should be scared. Remember when Harry Reid invoked the Nuclear Option? Yes that came back to bite us in the ass. This too will come back.
So using your logic, there should never have been any hearings into Senator Joseph McCarthy, and he should have been allowed to continue to destroy innocent peoples lives? Or that there should have been no attempt to investigate the Watergate break-in or any of Nixon’s men?
This was NOT a “protest” by any definition of the word. This was a long and well planned attempt at a seditious coup, to disregard the WILL OF THE PEOPLE, and keep a losing candidate in office, even if it resulted in the death of the Vice President, and others.
And according to US law, no one is above the law, not even the President!
But Jan 6 was not a protest and honestly it goes beyond the definition of riot. There is a huge and distinct difference between protesters standing outside the Capitol with signs and chants and what happened here. It wasn't a "sit in". What happened Jan 6 was an illegal attempt at disrupting a legal proceeding, I don't think that's even in question. Had they not breeched or even attempted to breech the Capitol it would be a different story. The "riot" is definitely directly tied to trump's attempt to hold on to power- they were trying to stop certification, they wanted Pence. He riled them prior to the march, he told them first that if Pence did what he was supposed to that the presidency fell back to him (recorded) and then later told them Pence did not do what he was supposed to do. He frigging tweeted after the rioting started stating Pence didn't do what he was "supposed" to do- they have film of that tweet being read to the crowd. I don't see how ANYONE doesn't see a connection between what happened on that day and trump, that day happened BECAUSE of trump- he got them there, he riled them up, he sent them to do what they did. Everything that happened happened because of trumps "actions"- his inaction, his watching of the insurrection for hours as Capitol Police fought like hell, his not calling the National Guard the MINUTE there was a problem, him ignoring the pleas of those around him to put a stop to it- that is 100% proof of guilt. What person in power sits and watches that stuff go down and just allows it? Only a person who WANTS that to go down. There is absolutely no danger is pursuing Jan 6, there is only danger in NOT because if they don't pursue it, if they don't go after those responsible, it will happen again. From you inane comments I also assume you are of the belief trump should be allowed to run again?? What happens when he loses again?
I'm not sure you understand what a "riot" is. You should look up the definition of "riot".
I'm not saying this is a "sit-in". If the standard is "disrupting an official proceeding" then Cortez's "sit-in" in an attempt to disrupt Pelosi's congressional duties would qualify. Should she be subject to the same standard of law? Should people who disrupted the confirmation of Kavanaugh be under the same standard?
Trump is morally responsible for the riot. Unless you have evidence he orchestrated or had preknowledge of the breech of the Capitol, I don't think he's legally responsible. That's always been the standard of this country.
Convicting someone for inaction is not Constitutional. It may be despicable, but not convictable in a court of law. In action is NOT proof of guilt. You know the House Sargent of Arms and Senate Sargent of Arms could have called in the National Guard and you're going to hang this on Trump.
Yes, Trump should be allowed to run again. He represents half this country. If his ideas are so intolerable, then send someone out with better ideas and better arguments. If you can't defeat him, then that's on you. It shouldn't even be close. The Democrats are in charge of both houses and the White House. They don't realize that the country is suffering and all they can do is hold a kangaroo court. They are completely disconnected with how this country is feeling, but instead focusing on this joke of a trial. We're about a month away from declaring a recession, inflation is at a 40 year high, I just paid $6.59/g for gas and our leaders are wasting their time with this mock trial. I'm just surprised that Pelosi hasn't picked up her violin while watching this country burn.
I'm really hoping it's Trump v Biden part 2 - because Andrew Yang will take home the Presidency, and maybe then we can get a legitimate 3rd party.
Riot: a violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd". If its not a riot what was it???? There was violence, there was death. It wasn't a riot? You're delusional to say it's not.
The people who were to certify the electors had to be moved to a safe space....that a rioter tried to breech by crawling through a window that other rioters broke. You don't think that's disrupting an official proceeding? You are comparing this to a sit in??? They are even close to the same level. Again delusional.
And yes all of this, every last little bit of this should be hung on fRump. 100%. because NONE of this would have happened if the sociopath, that some how you think should be free to run again, hadn't spent all his time spreading lies and whipping up his base. None of it. He felt he was above the law. He's not.
And no, he no longer represents half this country. He lost a lot of support since the election. And if his immoral ways represent you then you are as reprehensible as him. Anyone who still supports him is morally inept.
Oh gas prices....who the hell would you be blaming it on if he had won?? Because you know it's global, not controlled by the president and would have happened no matter who was in office.
This is not a sham of an investigation- you say ass hat represents half the country?? Well this committee represents the other half (MORE than half) and the more than half it represents is the moral, actually loves our country and respects our constitution half. Because anyone who feels he shouldn't be held accountable and we should leave the door opened for it to happen again has no respect for the rule of law in this country.
BTW- he didn't have a good idea in the entire 4 years. The "good" he took credit for was him riding the coat tails of others.
You were the one that said "beyond riot". So yes look it up. I said it WAS a riot.
If Trump lost half his support, you shouldn't worry about him running again. I'm not.
Biden stopped Keystone pipeline, stopped fracking, stopped the use of federal land for oil. Before Biden we were energy independent. Biden was taking a hardline against Saudi Arabia for killing a WaPo reporter. Biden's position on Ukraine joining NATO contributed to the war. I'm not saying these are bad policies, but high gas prices are the results of this administration's policy. When you enact all these policies at the same time, you shouldn't be surprised that high gas prices are the results.
Yes this investigation is a sham. I once believed these investigations but then realized that Trump's charges of Russian collusion was completely falsified by the DNC. All you will see is a bunch of blowhards grandstanding and NO convictions. This is a big nothing burger that is wasting time and money that should be spent solving gun problems, immigration, economy, gas prices, inflation, $1.5T student debt, police reform, next round of COVID infections expected this fall, codify the right to abortion. You think it's all these issues take a backseat to this kangaroo court? What do you think the average American is more concerned with? Putting food on the table? Filling the gas tank? Or grandstanding that goes nowhere?
It was an insurrection, which is "more" than just a riot. It was an act against the US government, not just a riot.
Oh yea the stopping of the Keystone pipeline that had been being built (and stopped) for what 20 years? That wasn't anywhere near complete? That was for the transport of tar sand which is harder to process, that even if it had been completed was targeted for the export and not for use here? That affected today's gas prices how? It didn't. And we are just as energy "independent" now as we were when Biden took office- and no trump did NOT make us 100% energy independent, we were a net importer of oil under trump and we are still a net importer of oil. It's a very complicated issue, one that includes many things other than imports of oil. By definition we are just as "energy independent" now as we were under him. Yes he stopped fracking and drilling on federal land, as he should, but also ordered new drilling permits. more than trump. Now he can't force those to be used but they have been ordered. As well as the release of more oil reserves and some other stuff. And you think we should have withdrawn from NATO instead? Because that's what trump wanted. Bottom line price of gas- supply and demand. Supply is still low (not back to precovid) and demand is higher. Simple math. Well plus the war but I would rather see a hard line against Russia than partnering with them as we would under trump. But again, he does not control it and neither did trump.
Collusion with Russia was not falsified. But go ahead and think that. And again, sweeping everything trump did under the rug and letting him run again will simply allow it to happen again and this time it will be worse. Everything he did to try to stop certification, all the lies, the planning, the schemes he pushed, all illegal. You give that narcissistic psychopath another shot and he loses, what happens then? You saw what happened the first time. And we should be ok with just letting this happen? We should not investigate? Had this been Obama do you think the Republicans would have let it go? Oh absolutely not. The hypocrisy is disgusting. And yes I do believe that protecting Democracy, protecting the sanctity of the office of the President, investigating all the illegal and immoral activities of this guy are important. This is running in parallel with everything else going on in the government, and millions of Americans think it's important. And yes we also think the other things are important but the Republicans have already shot down policies for things like price gouging which would help with the price of gas and other inflation related items, they will NEVER allow the abortion to be codified, NEVER allow any kind of real gun legislation or really anything that their constituents want because so long as a Democrat brings it to the table they will vote against it. The only way ANY of that gets done is to bring more Dems to the Senate, but until that happens you won't see shit being done about anything remotely important and it has zip to do with the hearings.