Tag: Trump fake patriots stormed the Capitol

Post-riot effort to tackle extremism in the military largely overlooks veterans

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The Defense Department is focusing on how to weed out possible extremists from the active-duty ranks in the wake of the Capitol riot, with a recent, military-wide “stand down” for troops to discuss the issue ahead of policy decisions on the matter by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

But the arrest data from the riot shows that allegedly criminal participation in the insurrection on Jan. 6 was far more prevalent among veterans than active-duty forces, a more difficult problem for the U.S. government to address.

Of the nearly 380 individuals federally charged in connection with the riot, at least 44 are current or former members of the U.S. armed forces, according to service records and data compiled by The Washington Post. At least three other veterans are among more than two dozen people charged in D.C. Superior Court for crimes like trespassing and curfew violations. Continue reading.

’60 Minutes’ interview reveals Oath Keepers militia are being trained by police

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In an interview with “60 Minutes” Sunday evening, Oath Keepers leader Jim Arroyo revealed that active-duty law enforcement is part of their movement and helping with militia training.

“Our guys are very experienced. We have active-duty law enforcement in our organization that are helping to train us. We can blend in with our law enforcement,” he said. 

Javed Ali, Towsley Policymaker in Residence at the Gerald Ford School of Public Policy, formerly served as a former NSC senior director and was a counterterrorism official at the FBI under the Trump administration. Speaking to CBS News, he explained that the Oath Keepers is “unique.” Continue reading.

How the Jan. 6 riot is affecting campaign fundraising

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Small donors buoy Republicans who saw PAC funding drop

Industry PAC contributions to House Republicans who voted against certifying Electoral College results in January fell during the first quarter of the year, but many made up for it with an influx of contributions from small donors.

Meanwhile, Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump for inciting insurrection also saw their fundraising grow, including from PACs, as they prepared for primary challenges.

Political action committees of many companies and lobbying groups said they would pause some or all contributions after rioters broke into the Capitol on Jan. 6 to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential win. Continue reading.

Prosecutors secure first guilty plea from Capitol riot

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A member of the far-right Oath Keepers militia pleaded guilty Friday to two charges stemming from his involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol siege.

Why it matters: It’s the first guilty plea that federal prosecutors have secured in their sprawling investigation, and it comes exactly 100 days after the Jan. 6 siege. Jon Schaffer, 53, is expected to cooperate with the government and will receive “witness security.”

  • Schaffer turned himself in to the FBI on Jan. 18 and has been jailed since. He originally faced six charges, including for using bear spray on police officers, but he will now plead guilty to obstruction of an official proceeding and entering a restricted building with a dangerous weapon. Continue reading.

Americans Saw Their Country As More Politically Stable After the Capitol Assault. Why?

Historic events can change a country’s global brand – and may affect whether its citizens want to even vote.

PHILADELPHIA — On Jan. 6, 2021, a group of then-President Donald Trump supporters broke into the Capitol building during a joint session of Congress that was certifying Joe Biden as the next president. This event was met with shock, anger, and embarrassment by Americans on both sides of the political spectrum. In addition, the images of Jan. 6 were spread all around the world as news outlets were quick to comment on such a significant American event.

Subsequently, there has been an abundance of commentary on the effects of Jan. 6 on our country, our citizens and the rest of the world. However, most of this has just been speculation … until now. In collaboration with the U.S. News & World Report Best Countries Rankings and BAV Consulting, we annually survey people around the world on their views of various countries. This year’s survey was delayed to capture the influence of the U.S. presidential election. It was fortuitous that Jan. 6 fell in the middle of our data collection. This allowed us to compare the 

We divided these results into perceptions that the world had of the United States pre- and post-Jan 6, and perceptions that U.S. citizens had of their own country before and after Jan. 6. In effect, any changes we see of the American image can be said to be caused by the protest — a true incident analysis. Continue reading.

Gallows or guillotines? The chilling debate on TheDonald.win before the Capitol siege.

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Users discussed how to bring guns into D.C., how to attack police officers and what kind of zip ties would most effectively subdue members of Congress who voted to certify the election of Joe Biden

In the weeks before supporters of then-President Donald Trump assaulted the U.S. Capitol, TheDonald.win forum commenters debated how best to build a gallows for hanging — or simply terrifying — members of Congress deemed disloyal. What kind of lumber? What kind of rope? And how many nooses?

A user named “Camarokirk” had a different suggestion: “I think you should build a guillotine,” he wrote Dec. 30. “A guillotine is more scary.”

User AsaNisiMAGA countered with a practical concern: “It’s better symbolism in every way. But it might prove more difficult to get that big blade into town.” Continue reading.

Federal judge offers an unprompted warning for Trump: ‘Legal consequences’ for Jan. 6 may be coming

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In a ruling on Wednesday in the case of one of the accused Capitol rioters, U.S. Judge Emmett Sullivan offered a provocative aside about former President Donald Trump’s role in the attack. 

Sullivan ruled that Jeffrey Sabol of Colorado is too dangerous and too much of a flight risk to be released prior to his trial. Sabol is accused of beating a cop during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, which sought to prevent Congress from officially counting the Electoral College votes that made Joe Biden president. 

The judge rejected the argument that Sabol was prompted to engage in the insurrection in the heat of the moment, spurred on by Trump’s rally. Evidence suggests, instead, that Sabol engaged in “prior planning” ahead of the attack, Sullivan found, which distinguishes him from rioters who are not being held pre-trial. Continue reading.

17 requests for backup in 78 minutes


A reconstruction shows how failures of planning and preparation
left police at the Capitol severely disadvantaged on Jan. 6

Watchdog: Capitol Police need ‘culture change’

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The Capitol Police’s internal watchdog will testify before lawmakers Thursday about how the police force failed to prepare for the mob attack on Jan. 6 despite warnings ahead of time of possible violence. 

The report from the Capitol Police’s inspector general, Michael Bolton, paints a picture of a police force that failed to disseminate critical warnings about the insurrection to top leaders and even take basic measures to properly maintain equipment that could have helped protect officers from the violent mob.

Bolton is expected to tell lawmakers on the House Administration Committee that the Capitol Police needs a fundamental “culture change” to adequately protect the seat of American democracy and prevent another deadly attack. Continue reading.

Inspector general cites glaring problems within Capitol Police

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House Administration Committee on Thursday will hear from IG himself

The Capitol Police department needs to restructure its civil disturbance unit and overhaul its intelligence operation, glaring problems that hampered the department’s ability to secure the Capitol during the attack on Jan. 6.

The summary of Capitol Police Inspector General Michael A. Bolton’s findings, obtained by CQ Roll Call, illustrates a department woefully unprepared for the deadly pro-Trump insurrection, including a lack of training and operational planning deficiencies. Bolton will appear Thursday before the House Administration Committee to discuss his work.

Bolton, in his prepared testimony, says the department needs to undergo a fundamental culture transformation. Continue reading.