Tag: Trump failed coup

Third House Democrat tests positive for COVID-19 after Capitol riots

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Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) said Tuesday he tested positive for COVID-19 after a pro-Trump mob forced a lockdown at the Capitol last week, making him the third Democrat to contract the virus since the deadly riots.

Schneider said he was in close contact with several Republican lawmakers who refused to wear masks during the siege.

“After narrowly escaping a violent mob incited by the president of the United States to attack the Capitol and its occupants, I was forced to spend several hours in a secure but confined location with dozens of other members of Congress,” Schneider said in a statement. Continue reading.

Major Radio Network Shuts Down Conspiracy Propaganda By Talk Jocks

In AM talk radio, a long list of far-right pundits have been promoting the debunked conspiracy theory that President Donald Trump was the victim of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. But following the storming of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6 by a mob of violent extremists, domestic terrorists and white nationalists, Atlanta-based Cumulus Media has ordered its employees to quit promoting voter fraud conspiracy theories.

The Washington Post’s Paul Farhi reports that in an internal memo — which was first reported by Inside Music Media — Brian Philips, executive vice president of content for Cumulus, wrote, “We need to help induce national calm NOW.” Phillips went on to say that Cumulus and Westwood One, which syndicates Cumulus programming, “will not tolerate any suggestion that the election has not ended. The election has been resolved, and there are no alternate acceptable ‘paths.'”

Phillips warned Cumulus employees, “If you transgress this policy, you can expect to separate from the company immediately.” Continue reading.

After hiding with maskless Republicans, Rep. Jayapal feared she would catch the coronavirus. Now she’s tested positive.

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After a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol last week, forcing Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) to take shelter in a crowded committee room, she began preparing for the worst.

Many of the GOP members of Congress hiding out with her were not wearing masks, she said, and had refused to accept them from a colleague. So, soon after Congress affirmed President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral victory later that night, she began to quarantine, fearing she could have contracted the coronavirus.

Her prediction turned to be right. Late Monday night, Jayapal announced that she had tested positive, making her the second Democratic representative to do so this week, after New Jersey Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman. Continue reading.

‘Love MAGA’: Clarence Thomas’ wife cheered on anti-democracy rally before rioters stormed the Capitol

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Hours before a violent mob of far-right extremists attacked the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, President Donald Trump and his supporters spoke at an event in Washington D.C. — where they demanded that Congress overturn the electoral college results for the 2020 presidential election. And one of those supporters was conspiracy theorist Ginni Thomas, wife of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Ginni Thomas tweeted her support of that event on January 6, saying, “LOVE MAGA people!” and “God bless each of you standing up or praying.” Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern notes that after the attack on the Capitol Building, she added an addendum and posted, “Note: written before violence in US Capitol.”

Stern, in an article published by Slate on January 8, notes, “Thomas, a conservative lobbyist and zealous supporter of Donald Trump, has fervently defended the president over the last four years. On her Facebook page, she frequently promotes baseless conspiracy theories about a ‘coup’ against Trump led by Jewish philanthropist George Soros, a frequent target of anti-Semitic hate. Thomas draws many of these theories from fringe corners of the internet, including an anti-vax Facebook group that claimed Bill Gates would use the COVID vaccine to kill people.”

A Capitol Police Officer On Duty During The Coup Attempt Has Died By Suicide

Officer Howard Liebengood was 51 years old.

A US Capitol Police officer on duty during Wednesday’s coup attempt by Trump supportersdied by suicide on Saturday, his family has announced.

Officer Howard Liebengood, 51, had been assigned to the Senate Division and joined the department in 2005.

Barry Pollack, a lawyer for Liebengood’s family, told BuzzFeed News the officer had been at the Capitol during the insurrection. Continue reading.

Minneapolis investigating two employees who may have attended rally-turned-insurrection in D.C.

The city of Minneapolis confirmed it is investigating complaints against two employees who may have traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to attend the pro-Trump rally which led to a violent siege of the U.S. Capitol.

The city said it is prohibited from disclosing the identities of the employees at this time under state law.

“The city takes complaints against its employees very seriously, especially those that might involve crimes. The City is cooperating with federal authorities and urges the public to report any information it has to local and federal authorities,” spokeswoman Sarah McKenzie wrote in an email. Continue reading.

FBI report: Minn. Boogaloo Bois preparing for possible violence at rally next week

Members of the extremist Boogaloo Bois movement attended demonstrations at the Minnesota state Capitol in early December to prepare for possible violence at a rally in St. Paul on Jan. 17, according to a report from the FBI’s Minneapolis field office.

The report, obtained and published Monday by Yahoo News, was sent to law enforcement in Minnesota and Michigan in late December, the week before the violent siege of the U.S. Capitol. It warns that Boogaloo followers “did not identify any specific attack plot, but planned to use violence” in case of a fight on Jan. 17, when members of the movement intend to hold rallies at state capitols nationwide.

Several members of the Boogaloo Bois — a loosely organized, far-right, anti-government group that aims to exploit unrest to begin a civil war — have been charged in connection with the riots in Minneapolis following the police killing of George Floyd. Continue reading.

Campaign finance system rocked as firms pause or halt contributions after election results challenged

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Several major companies on Monday said they planned to cut off political donations to the 147 members of Congress who last week voted against certifying the results of the presidential election, while other major corporations said they are suspending all contributions from their political action committees — a sign of corporate America’s growing unease with the election doubts and violent attacks encouraged by President Trump.

Companies that collectively pour millions of dollars each year into campaigns through employee-funded PACs are registering their worry and anger about last week’s chaos with a reexamination of their role in powering the nation’s fractious politics.

AT&T’s PAC decided Monday to suspend donations to the eight Republican senators and 139 Republican House members who voted against certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s win, according to a company spokesman. Continue reading.

Rep. Phillips Moves to Hold Members of Congress Who Incited Violence Accountable

Backing censure resolution, Phillips says: “To my Republican colleagues calling for unity and healing; neither are possible without accountability. Separate yourselves from seditionists. Condemn insurrectionists.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Congress reconvenes to reckon with the first breach of the United States Capitol since 1814, Rep. Dean Phillips (MN-03) announced he is supporting a resolution censuring Rep. Mo Brooks (AL-05) for inciting violence against his fellow members of Congress. Phillips is a co-sponsor of the measure authored by Reps. Tom Malinowski (NJ-7) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23), which details Brooks’s involvement in the events leading up to the attack on Capitol Hill.

On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, Brooks addressed the crowd, including numerous members of known extremist and anti-government groups, that would soon try to seize the Capitol and prevent the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate from discharging their Constitutional duties to count Electoral College votes in certification of the 2020 presidential election. After denouncing Republican and Democratic members of Congress who were planning to affirm the presidential election, he urged participants to “start taking down names and kicking ass.” Armed with metal rods, bats, and firearms, many rally goers then marched to the Capitol, forcibly and unlawfully entered, hoisted Confederate battle flags, put national security at risk, and assaulted police officers. The violence led to the murder of United States Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick and four other deaths, dozens of injuries, and caused physical damage to U.S. Capitol property. After inciting these acts of insurrection, Brooks made the following statement: “I make no apology for doing my absolute best to inspire patriotic Americans.”

“Indeed, Mr. Brooks, we’ve taken down names,” said Phillips. “The names of each of you who’ve inspired insurrection, promoted disinformation, and incited violence. You will be held to account. To my Republican colleagues calling for unity and healing; neither are possible without accountability. Separate yourselves from seditionists. Condemn insurrectionists. Demand that the President dissuade those planning violence in his name. The future of our country is in your hands.”

Find the text of the Brooks censure resolution here. Censure resolutions against additional members of Congress are expected this week.

Tonight, Phillips will vote in favor of a resolution urging Vice President Pence and the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment.

Phillips is also a co-sponsor of the Article of Impeachment introduced by Reps. David Cicilline (RI-01), Ted Lieu (CA-33), and Jamie Raskin (MD-08). With more than 210 co-sponsors, the House will move to impeach the President on Wednesday in the absence of action from the Vice President and Cabinet.

Hallmark PAC asks Hawley, Marshall to return employee donations

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Hallmark Cards asked two GOP senators to return campaign donations on Monday following the violent riot that overtook the U.S. Capitol last week.

The company’s political action committee, HALLPAC, sent notices to Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) requesting the return of $7,000 and $5,000 in donations made to the two senators respectively during their most recent runs for office, according to a Hallmark spokesperson.

“Hallmark believes the peaceful transition of power is part of the bedrock of our democratic system, and we abhor violence of any kind,” Hallmark spokeswoman JiaoJiao Shen told The Kansas City Star. “The recent actions of Senators Josh Hawley and Roger Marshall do not reflect our company’s values. As a result, HALLPAC requested Sens. Hawley and Marshall to return all HALLPAC campaign contributions.” Continue reading.