Were you as horrified as I was by the words of the president this week as he incited a violent attack on the Capitol? Did you share my disdain for members of his family and others such as Rudy Giuliani who echoed his remarks asking for physical combat? Can you believe that law enforcement was apparently not expecting such a response after the speech and was unprepared for a mob with weapons and pepper spray? Was this a coup attempt as some have characterized it? I am saddened for my country and what this president has done to get us to this point.
Those who follow alternative websites, chat rooms and conspiracy theorists seemed to think that there was enough movement and comment in these areas that violence should have been expected. Persistent tweets from the president indicating that the election had been stolen from him, multiple lawsuits (all of which he lost) and numerous retweets of conspiracy theories served to convince many of his 74 million voters that the election had been won by him in a landslide. According to news reports, both the FBI and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) sent out alerts to police departments across the country waring of intelligence about attendees at the rally who were planning violence. There was also concurrent violence against buildings that day in state capitals in Washington Colorado and Arizona. There is more violence promised locally and in DC in the near future.
The Capitol Police managed to evacuate the Members of Congress (who were in session and considering the acceptance of the votes of the members of the Electoral College) and take them to secure locations or assist with securing them in their offices. Gas masks were given out as tear gas was dispensed in an attempt to repel the marauders. Some legislators spent several hours trapped in the Visitor’s Gallery until police could secure an alternative exit. The Vice-President had been presiding and was relocated to a secure spot by the Secret Service. Earlier the president had chastised the VP at his rally for not disrupting this process even though he was told that this was a procedural event that was only a formal process. Subsequently, some of the mob chanted “hang Mike Pence” and carried nooses with them as they smashed doors and windows when they thronged into the Capitol. In some cases, members of the media and their equipment were attacked. The marauding mobs went into some offices and trashed them, taking printed materials and laptops as well as other property. Some rioters took “selfies” in the legislative chamber or sitting at the podium recently vacated by the Chair. Historic furniture, statuary, and art works were damaged. Flags with the Long Blue Line (supporting police) and the Stars and Bars (supporting the confederacy) were carried into the Capitol along with American and Stop the Steal and MAGA items. Various participating right-wing and hate groups could be identified by patches and sweatshirts. Once additional National Guard and police forces were brought in, they were able to finally secure the building and repel the invasion. By the end of the day, four people had died (one woman shot by the police as she tried to enter the House Chamber) and several dozen police were injured; one (Officer Brian Sicknick) later died of his injuries, while another just committed suicide.
It was said that the president watched the invasion on television, even though he told the crowd that he would join them, and was encouraged and pleased at what he saw until someone died, that was when he sent a tweet that it was time to go home, even though the election was stolen. Twitter suspended his account shortly afterwards and permanently the next day as did Facebook, so he has lost his public megaphone. Better later than never, I guess; to my way of thinking this should have happened a long time ago. It took several hours to repel the invaders, clear the buildings on the Hill and make them ready again for Congress to be in session, but the Members returned at 8:00 pm uninjured and ready to complete their Constitutional duties of certifying the election.
As I
mentioned last week, several members indicated their intent to contest the Electoral
College results, but when Congress returned after the violence the intent to do
this was lessened in both houses. In the end, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) was the
only member to insist on the ten-day delay for an audit, although several
Senators agreed to challenge both Arizona and Pennsylvania but drop the other
states. Senator Cruz supported those other
challenges, but was ultimately joined by only a few others. In the House there
was wide support as 147 House members voted in favor of the challenges, so pointless
speeches and multiple votes continued on long into the night, concluding in a
decision to accept the Electoral College votes after 2:00 AM. Hawley, Cruz and Minority Leader Mc Carthy
were widely criticized for pursuing these efforts especially after the events
of the day. There is appropriate widespread condemnation of these leaders and others
are planning to evaluate futures for their next elections. Many Republicans
count the president’s base as part of their constituency, so are afraid of
offending it or him. Senator
Hawley had planned to publish a book next summer; this week his publisher pulled
his book, his hometown newspaper condemned his actions and several spoke out
against his actions.
Now, for many, the next steps involve accountability. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, many Democrats as well as several Republicans have all called on the president to resign, saying the actions he put in motion to stop the vote were seditious. Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) speaking on CNN with Jake Tapper said the president descended into a new level of madness after the election and should resign. Pelosi has asked VP Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove the president; so far, he has not agreed to do this. Barring that, she indicated that she will institute impeachment proceedings. Were he to be convicted, he would be barred from running for any office ever again. But is that enough of a punishment? Aren’t incitement, false statements, sedition, soliciting election meddling and collecting funds under false pretenses enough to get him convicted after he leaves office? He should pay a price for disregarding all of the common principles and traditions that govern our country.
The inauguration for President Bien and VP Harris is scheduled to take place ten days from today. The president has said he will not attend, although VP Pence has agreed to be there. Biden spoke out strongly against the violence and the role of the president in inciting it. Many are concerned about the safety of his inauguration, but assurances have been made that the City of Washington will be secured. The Capitol is now surrounded by impenetrable ten-foot-high fencing and the inaugural structures are being reinstalled. The Inauguration was already planned to be scaled down due to the Coronovirus, but will be even further truncated and more virtual due to these events. One bit of great news for the President-Elect, the Georgia Senatorial election elected 2 Democrats - Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff - so the incoming President will have a tied 50-50 Senate and tie votes can be broken by VP Kamala Harris.
Many
expected that there would be widespread arrests as the mobs left the Capitol,
but the terrorists were, for the most part escorted from the building as the
troops advanced and security increased. Some saw this as white
privilege (as the overwhelming majority of the crowds were white and male)
and indicated that there would have been a different and more heavy-handed
response had the groups been people
of color. Others countered that these disproportionate numbers would have made
mass arrests difficult. To date, more than 200 rioters have been arrested with
more identified to be arrested later. They pointed out the massive military presence
at Lafayette
Square during the Black Lives Matter protests last summer and the violence
at peaceful protesters when the president wanted a photo-op at St. John’s
Church.
Here is a verse I wrote at that time:
Peaceful
Protest
Stuck
inside, little Donnie fumed
As
he paced and tweeted around his room
What
I do, where can I hide?
He
asked the agents who were outside;
He
heard the drums and chants outside his door –
Don’t
worry sir, and they led him to a room beneath the floor.
The
next day on a governors’ call
He
railed at them one and all!
He
called them weak, deemed their actions sad.
Dominate! Dominate said my friend Vlad!
Troops in the streets, that’s the way to
go
I’m in charge of
this new show.
I’ll look
Presidential, stand behind the seal.
Meanwhile on the
streets the sirens squeal.
Millions protest,
their hands raised high
Freedom, peace
and justice their cry.
Instead, with
horses and shields, troops came
With tear gas and
pellets, what a shame!
Bravely they
cleared streets around Lafayette Square
Of the peaceful
protesters who had been there.
So, across the
park the President could lurch
And stand for a
photo op at St. John’s Church.
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COVID statistics have been
spiraling up over the last week and are out of control with more than 22
million cases. As the mask-free mobs at the Capitol return home, they risk
sending another super-spreader COVID event across the country.
COVID stats NY
Times: 1/10/21
Total US cases: 22,448,300. New
cases: 252,142. Total Deaths: 374,389. Total new deaths: 3261.
Maryland Total Cases: 303,364.
New cases: 3,758. Total Deaths: 6,246.
Total new deaths: 30.
***********************************************************************************************************************
To conclude today, I want to share some memories: I have freely visited most of our historic buildings in the Washington DC area and been awed by the sense of history they portrayed and the beauty of these monumental sites. I have toured the public areas of the White House, listened to oral arguments in the somber halls of the Supreme Court, and visited elected representatives as I advocated for various causes in my State House in Annapolis and in the House and Senate office buildings in DC. I sat in the Visitors Gallery in both places and watched my government at work. I had free movement and was welcomed; I wonder if these riotous actions have ended this free access for the future. (To be sure, we had to have passes in some cases and walk-through security with bag inspection, but we had access.)
Til next week – stay safe –
Peace.
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