After watching the first televised hearing of the House January 6 committee—new video of the violent attack on the Capitol and its defenders; witnesses from Donald Trump’s inner circle admitting that the election was not stolen; specific efforts by Trump to incite the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys and other extremist followers—I think it’s already hard to not conclude Trump must be charged for seditious conspiracy or other crimes
January 6 was a “sprawling multistep conspiracy aimed at overturning the presidential election…the culmination of an attempted coup” in which “the violence was no accident,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson, committee chair. Added Rep. Liz Cheney, committee vice chair: “President Trump summoned the mob, assembled the mob and lit the flame of this attack.”
What do you think? Are you now more convinced Trump must be indicted for his actions to overthrow our democracy? Do you have hope Attorney General Merrick Garland will act?
As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Without a doubt, Trump should be charged with Seditious Cnspiracy. But let’s take a deeper dive into what other crimes he is liable for..In the very early days of Covid 19, he knew the deadliness of it and made deliberate efforts to play it down as nothing..He very publicly pitched bogus remedies that were either proven to be or obviously not effective..He made no effort to encourage the public to become vaccinated, wear masks, stay distant from one another..All of this caused thousands of deaths..A direct violation to his oath of office.. So, I would add Criminally Negligent Homeside to his charges. Basically, if Merrick Garland were to really do his job, dig deep into the actions of trump et al, he would find plenty of evidence of other crimes he could prove..Emoluments violations comes to mind..There were so many during his term..At the minimum there is enough evidence for Seditious Conspiracy and accessory to murder for the deaths related to Jan 6th. So yeah, he should be charged, convicted and spend the rest of his miserable life in prison.
His foot soldiers are being charged, although too many with mere misdemeanors. By not charging Trump -- and those who funded the insurrection -- an indelible sign will be written that those with money are an elite immune from the laws of the nation. This will be more poisonous to our republic than the actual (thankfully failed) rebellion of Jan. 6.
Jun 11, 2022·edited Jun 11, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss
I’ve been convinced since it happened. I want to know who built the noose and the gallows. The fact that he stayed in his office and let this go on for hours, resulting in many deaths is outrageous. He should’ve been indicted long ago. The tape of the phone call with Brad Raffensberger?? I don’t know what Merrick Garland is waiting for. I am still horrified by what they did to our Capitol, and how they shattered the lives of so many Capitol police officers. The ones who survived will be suffering from PTSD for a long time.
My understanding, primarily via Ruth Ben-Ghiat, is that the only way to halt the autocratic push is by prosecuting the cult leader. I have been aware of this for months. I was heartened by the hearing.
Jun 11, 2022·edited Jun 11, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss
It has been maddening. No question. Though I didn’t need the committee to secure my interest in seeing those conspirators brought to account, I concede being outside the realm of DoJ, prosecution, law, etc. that I can’t say all that it takes to build THIS case. Let’s stipulate that all cases need to be properly built — this one all the more, since the willingness of those involved to lie, cheat, obfuscate, shred/burn, etc. etc. is now clear as a bright blue day. We know, anew, that we must hold traitors to account.
May Liz Cheney’s words ring through the ages: “There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain."
It is long overdue. I expected the current AG would have charged the former president as soon as possible after taking his oath of office.
That should have been his first priority; after the Mueller report, his two impeachments and his self incrimination, the DOJ had sufficient grounds to build the case against that big liar.
The gears of the FBI have routinely operated in a slow and methodical fashion. It is a “conservative” organization that takes due diligence seriously; to an extreme to most of us. I do have faith in the agents and their analysts working in concert to prepare their case. I believe they truly attempt to fulfill their mission to protect the American people and uphold the U.S. Constitution. This was our country’s first attempted coup. They will want to get it right. Director Garland will not be rushed and I believe he will act when he’s convinced his case is ready.
Trump should definitely be prosecuted. If not, he will do it again and there will be other’s. We have to show them America has value’s. America isn’t a play toy to massage egos. It is serious. Strip him of his presidential pension and secret service. Trump did not preside over America. Trump toyed with America. He deserves prosecution and the consequences of his behavior or his non behavior. Being president was an ego trip. People died as a result of his non action.
Jun 11, 2022·edited Jun 11, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss
If we claim to be a nation that is governed by law, it is imperative that those in high office who are guilty of heinous crimes are held accountable. There is no question about it: Trump has to be charged. But I am more confident now that he will be than I have been in the past. The exemplary work of the January 6th Committee gives the DoJ no choice but to do so. Of course, we're still largely unaware of the work that the DoJ has been doing on its own to build an irrefutable case.
It is also worth noting that we would not have been in this miserable predicament if the perpetrators of the immoral war in Iraq had been held accountable for their crimes. You reap what you sow.
Jun 11, 2022·edited Jun 11, 2022Liked by Steven Beschloss
Never doubted. Let's also not forget all those who assisted or attempted to. Ginni Thomas didn't email just two Arizona lawmakers, urging them to "choose" presidential electors to help overturn Trump's defeat. She emailed 29 of them, records show.
I am very concerned about Merrick Garland's lack of action in charging Donal Trump. He did nothing to Mark Meadows who obviously was deeply involved in the entire process. Will he allow Donald Trump to go without any charges? I question President Biden's refusal to do anything in this matter. Doesn't he have to power to appoint an Attorney General who has the Inner fortitude to do the job? Democrats need to show some gumption, Liz Cheney can't do it all!
Let's hope that Merrick Garland is waiting for the hearing to commence and facts are aired that will give him the perceived backing to move forward with obvious criminal charges against a host of people involved in this obvious attempt to overthrow the government. You have to admit that any action(s) taken against a former President is unprecedented. Maybe we should cut him some slack - just a little - and hope that this is what is happening. Remember. He cannot fail once he starts, or our democracy is over. No pressure, right?
We've not investigated the most corrupt Presidency in America history (not just the Prez, but the whole bunch!) and we've called some on the carpet and then, uh, did nothing. I hate what Barr did to Robert Mueller & his report, how he broke the boundaries between the Presidency & the AG, how he committed several of his own gaffes/crimes with no slaps on the wrist or anywhere, but good that he spoke out on Trump's thoughts on the vote NOT having been stolen. I have never seen so many criminals running around with not an ounce of justice in my entire life! AG Garland, if you don't want to do anything here, why don't you just send them all to Russia? Then we can recoup our (that's recoup, not coup) Democracy and get on with our lives that we've not seen since Putin had his way with America over 4 wretched years!!! BTW, I'm beyond grateful for Pres.Joe Biden. He left retirement out of love for America. We need to start focusing on what he's done right, which is a lot of things!!!
Let's put it this way. If Trump committed crimes and the DOJ does not investigate and (on conclusion) charge Trump, then a whole lotta people are going to rightly conclude that the wealthy and powerful are judged by a different set of rules and God help America thereafter, because the system will be very clearly shown as unfair and, in fact, unjust.
Defense attorney and author, Teri Kanefield, provides calm, measured assessments about TFG and Garland...and explains “why not yet” in her Substack. Her approach has given us more confidence that Garland is waiting, and unafraid.
If we are going to be a nation based on laws, we need to have the people who break them be held accountable and face consequences. Anything less is unacceptable and can easily be written off as political theater. Does anyone think that Trump's AG would have spared Obama if the roles would have been reversed??? This is the basis of our democracy that has been attacked and if we don't have it defended, we will lose everything.
Hard not to be discouraged when so many citizens will still hold a trumpian value system, whether he is behind bars or not. But by all means, lock them all up.
I am extremely sceptical about *any* “elites” ever having to face justice for their criminal actions and I can’t help but think if they were going to charge Trump they’d have done it by now. If, or when, Trump declares his intention to run for the White House again it will be too late, for it would be decried as a partisan move, and the window of opportunity is fast closing. The other, utterly misguided, view is that Trump would be an easier opponent in the general election - they think all they have to do is not be Trump and that screaming “But Trump” & “But Trump and Putin” will frighten enough voters to vote for yet another terrible Democrat candidate, whether or not that’s Biden remains to be seen. This, I fear, may be the reason for the reticence in charging Trump. As I said, it’s utterly misguided.
While personally frustrating, I understand now why the J6 Committee has taken its time to lay the groundwork for what should be a historic first for our country. A former president has never been indicted - although Nixon might well have faced this treatment without the Ford pardon. This is an action that should only be considered after a careful investigation and review by legal experts, followed by a thoughtful presentation of the facts to the American public. Just two sessions in, it's obvious to me that our democracy faces MORE DANGER IF WE DO NOT indict Trump. These times require all right-minded Americans to find the courage to endure the inevitable storm that is sure to follow.
If we are to survive as a free country, it is essential to indict; arrest every single person who deliberately was involved in the big lie even though they knew it was a lie, and in the violence of the attack on the Capitol. Also, everyone of the conspirators with the fake electors. And while we’re at it, throw in an appropriate charge for allowing hundreds of thousands of Americans to die when by February 2020, Trump knew the virus was airborne and deadly. There are so many other crimes, and he should be indicted for every single one of them. Further, something needs to be done about the far right media and all those supporting the lies. Add more FBI agents now because yes, there will be violence. But the violence may be what we have to experience. Without indictment, those of us who are sane, who understand the rise of authoritarianism, will continue to lose faith in this country. Many of us have very little hope as it stands now. Thousands of Americans are planning to leave the country, and thousands already have… Only because of the rise of authoritarianism, violence, and hatred in this country. Further, without massive arrests, the far right will see that they can get away with overthrowing elections, with lies, and we will live in a dictatorship for the next many decades.
If tdump isn't charged, we the people ,will have been set up, slapped with our own hands and forever scarred by these actions. We will all be victims of a authoritarian dictatorship that is as narcissistic as the royal family, and our children's children will never live in a honest truth filled Nation . We've already been the families of over 600,000 victims of genocide. How much more can we take .
If trump were an adversary, not a friend, of Putin and pulled this stuff in Russia, he would have had poison in his underwear long ago.
Garland must fill up his tank with premium (even tho is is nearly $6/gal) and race licketysplit to the proven , indisputable , irrefutable destination: Guilty ! Gotcha !
Yes. It's that simple. We have seen the physical evidence, now with videos even more intense. And we have several witnesses testifying to intent, which I think was what Merrick Garland was waiting for. That's the package. Go for it DOJ !!!
Either they need to charge him or they need to admit publicly and up front that the rules are different for the (even questionably) rich and powerful, or for those who have an armed mob at their beck and call.
I think that the DOJ is working to construct an airtight prosecution of $45, one that Teflon Don won’t slide out of. When his attorneys tell him they’re ready, we will have an indicted AND convicted former president. One whose Presidential library will be a prison cart full of Art of the Deal.
I find it maddening that he has not been charged yet and is allowed to continue to spread his brand of stupid hate.
Without a doubt, Trump should be charged with Seditious Cnspiracy. But let’s take a deeper dive into what other crimes he is liable for..In the very early days of Covid 19, he knew the deadliness of it and made deliberate efforts to play it down as nothing..He very publicly pitched bogus remedies that were either proven to be or obviously not effective..He made no effort to encourage the public to become vaccinated, wear masks, stay distant from one another..All of this caused thousands of deaths..A direct violation to his oath of office.. So, I would add Criminally Negligent Homeside to his charges. Basically, if Merrick Garland were to really do his job, dig deep into the actions of trump et al, he would find plenty of evidence of other crimes he could prove..Emoluments violations comes to mind..There were so many during his term..At the minimum there is enough evidence for Seditious Conspiracy and accessory to murder for the deaths related to Jan 6th. So yeah, he should be charged, convicted and spend the rest of his miserable life in prison.
His foot soldiers are being charged, although too many with mere misdemeanors. By not charging Trump -- and those who funded the insurrection -- an indelible sign will be written that those with money are an elite immune from the laws of the nation. This will be more poisonous to our republic than the actual (thankfully failed) rebellion of Jan. 6.
I’ve been convinced since it happened. I want to know who built the noose and the gallows. The fact that he stayed in his office and let this go on for hours, resulting in many deaths is outrageous. He should’ve been indicted long ago. The tape of the phone call with Brad Raffensberger?? I don’t know what Merrick Garland is waiting for. I am still horrified by what they did to our Capitol, and how they shattered the lives of so many Capitol police officers. The ones who survived will be suffering from PTSD for a long time.
I for one am as convinced as I was on January 6 when I saw the "president" instruct his followers to march to the capitol and "fight like hell".
My understanding, primarily via Ruth Ben-Ghiat, is that the only way to halt the autocratic push is by prosecuting the cult leader. I have been aware of this for months. I was heartened by the hearing.
It has been maddening. No question. Though I didn’t need the committee to secure my interest in seeing those conspirators brought to account, I concede being outside the realm of DoJ, prosecution, law, etc. that I can’t say all that it takes to build THIS case. Let’s stipulate that all cases need to be properly built — this one all the more, since the willingness of those involved to lie, cheat, obfuscate, shred/burn, etc. etc. is now clear as a bright blue day. We know, anew, that we must hold traitors to account.
May Liz Cheney’s words ring through the ages: “There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain."
It is long overdue. I expected the current AG would have charged the former president as soon as possible after taking his oath of office.
That should have been his first priority; after the Mueller report, his two impeachments and his self incrimination, the DOJ had sufficient grounds to build the case against that big liar.
The gears of the FBI have routinely operated in a slow and methodical fashion. It is a “conservative” organization that takes due diligence seriously; to an extreme to most of us. I do have faith in the agents and their analysts working in concert to prepare their case. I believe they truly attempt to fulfill their mission to protect the American people and uphold the U.S. Constitution. This was our country’s first attempted coup. They will want to get it right. Director Garland will not be rushed and I believe he will act when he’s convinced his case is ready.
Trump must be indicted. I am concerned that Merrick Garland just does not have the courage to do it.
If this man is allowed to walk free, “hold onto your butts”, as Samuel Jackson said.
Trump should definitely be prosecuted. If not, he will do it again and there will be other’s. We have to show them America has value’s. America isn’t a play toy to massage egos. It is serious. Strip him of his presidential pension and secret service. Trump did not preside over America. Trump toyed with America. He deserves prosecution and the consequences of his behavior or his non behavior. Being president was an ego trip. People died as a result of his non action.
If we claim to be a nation that is governed by law, it is imperative that those in high office who are guilty of heinous crimes are held accountable. There is no question about it: Trump has to be charged. But I am more confident now that he will be than I have been in the past. The exemplary work of the January 6th Committee gives the DoJ no choice but to do so. Of course, we're still largely unaware of the work that the DoJ has been doing on its own to build an irrefutable case.
It is also worth noting that we would not have been in this miserable predicament if the perpetrators of the immoral war in Iraq had been held accountable for their crimes. You reap what you sow.
Never doubted. Let's also not forget all those who assisted or attempted to. Ginni Thomas didn't email just two Arizona lawmakers, urging them to "choose" presidential electors to help overturn Trump's defeat. She emailed 29 of them, records show.
I am very concerned about Merrick Garland's lack of action in charging Donal Trump. He did nothing to Mark Meadows who obviously was deeply involved in the entire process. Will he allow Donald Trump to go without any charges? I question President Biden's refusal to do anything in this matter. Doesn't he have to power to appoint an Attorney General who has the Inner fortitude to do the job? Democrats need to show some gumption, Liz Cheney can't do it all!
Let's hope that Merrick Garland is waiting for the hearing to commence and facts are aired that will give him the perceived backing to move forward with obvious criminal charges against a host of people involved in this obvious attempt to overthrow the government. You have to admit that any action(s) taken against a former President is unprecedented. Maybe we should cut him some slack - just a little - and hope that this is what is happening. Remember. He cannot fail once he starts, or our democracy is over. No pressure, right?
We've not investigated the most corrupt Presidency in America history (not just the Prez, but the whole bunch!) and we've called some on the carpet and then, uh, did nothing. I hate what Barr did to Robert Mueller & his report, how he broke the boundaries between the Presidency & the AG, how he committed several of his own gaffes/crimes with no slaps on the wrist or anywhere, but good that he spoke out on Trump's thoughts on the vote NOT having been stolen. I have never seen so many criminals running around with not an ounce of justice in my entire life! AG Garland, if you don't want to do anything here, why don't you just send them all to Russia? Then we can recoup our (that's recoup, not coup) Democracy and get on with our lives that we've not seen since Putin had his way with America over 4 wretched years!!! BTW, I'm beyond grateful for Pres.Joe Biden. He left retirement out of love for America. We need to start focusing on what he's done right, which is a lot of things!!!
Let's put it this way. If Trump committed crimes and the DOJ does not investigate and (on conclusion) charge Trump, then a whole lotta people are going to rightly conclude that the wealthy and powerful are judged by a different set of rules and God help America thereafter, because the system will be very clearly shown as unfair and, in fact, unjust.
Defense attorney and author, Teri Kanefield, provides calm, measured assessments about TFG and Garland...and explains “why not yet” in her Substack. Her approach has given us more confidence that Garland is waiting, and unafraid.
I was convinced on January 6. This just confirms it. Everybody involved needs to be held accountable and jailed!
If we are going to be a nation based on laws, we need to have the people who break them be held accountable and face consequences. Anything less is unacceptable and can easily be written off as political theater. Does anyone think that Trump's AG would have spared Obama if the roles would have been reversed??? This is the basis of our democracy that has been attacked and if we don't have it defended, we will lose everything.
Hard not to be discouraged when so many citizens will still hold a trumpian value system, whether he is behind bars or not. But by all means, lock them all up.
I am extremely sceptical about *any* “elites” ever having to face justice for their criminal actions and I can’t help but think if they were going to charge Trump they’d have done it by now. If, or when, Trump declares his intention to run for the White House again it will be too late, for it would be decried as a partisan move, and the window of opportunity is fast closing. The other, utterly misguided, view is that Trump would be an easier opponent in the general election - they think all they have to do is not be Trump and that screaming “But Trump” & “But Trump and Putin” will frighten enough voters to vote for yet another terrible Democrat candidate, whether or not that’s Biden remains to be seen. This, I fear, may be the reason for the reticence in charging Trump. As I said, it’s utterly misguided.
While personally frustrating, I understand now why the J6 Committee has taken its time to lay the groundwork for what should be a historic first for our country. A former president has never been indicted - although Nixon might well have faced this treatment without the Ford pardon. This is an action that should only be considered after a careful investigation and review by legal experts, followed by a thoughtful presentation of the facts to the American public. Just two sessions in, it's obvious to me that our democracy faces MORE DANGER IF WE DO NOT indict Trump. These times require all right-minded Americans to find the courage to endure the inevitable storm that is sure to follow.
If we are to survive as a free country, it is essential to indict; arrest every single person who deliberately was involved in the big lie even though they knew it was a lie, and in the violence of the attack on the Capitol. Also, everyone of the conspirators with the fake electors. And while we’re at it, throw in an appropriate charge for allowing hundreds of thousands of Americans to die when by February 2020, Trump knew the virus was airborne and deadly. There are so many other crimes, and he should be indicted for every single one of them. Further, something needs to be done about the far right media and all those supporting the lies. Add more FBI agents now because yes, there will be violence. But the violence may be what we have to experience. Without indictment, those of us who are sane, who understand the rise of authoritarianism, will continue to lose faith in this country. Many of us have very little hope as it stands now. Thousands of Americans are planning to leave the country, and thousands already have… Only because of the rise of authoritarianism, violence, and hatred in this country. Further, without massive arrests, the far right will see that they can get away with overthrowing elections, with lies, and we will live in a dictatorship for the next many decades.
If tdump isn't charged, we the people ,will have been set up, slapped with our own hands and forever scarred by these actions. We will all be victims of a authoritarian dictatorship that is as narcissistic as the royal family, and our children's children will never live in a honest truth filled Nation . We've already been the families of over 600,000 victims of genocide. How much more can we take .
If trump were an adversary, not a friend, of Putin and pulled this stuff in Russia, he would have had poison in his underwear long ago.
Garland must fill up his tank with premium (even tho is is nearly $6/gal) and race licketysplit to the proven , indisputable , irrefutable destination: Guilty ! Gotcha !
Yes. It's that simple. We have seen the physical evidence, now with videos even more intense. And we have several witnesses testifying to intent, which I think was what Merrick Garland was waiting for. That's the package. Go for it DOJ !!!
Either they need to charge him or they need to admit publicly and up front that the rules are different for the (even questionably) rich and powerful, or for those who have an armed mob at their beck and call.
I think that the DOJ is working to construct an airtight prosecution of $45, one that Teflon Don won’t slide out of. When his attorneys tell him they’re ready, we will have an indicted AND convicted former president. One whose Presidential library will be a prison cart full of Art of the Deal.
Yup.
https://twitter.com/ForwardPsych/status/1535070047492018177?s=20&t=APed-qq6Kl4fYfSJmjh80Q