Tag: Trump insurrection

WATCH: QAnon Shaman’s mom defends her son’s honor while spewing conspiracy theories about 2020 election

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Martha Chansley, the mother of the so-called QAnon Shaman, defended her son’s actions during an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes.

In an interview set to be aired on Sunday, Chansley grew defensive when asked whether she thought her son, 33-year-old Jacob Chansley, did anything wrong when he took part in a violent mob that stormed the United States Capitol building on January 6th.

“What do you mean by ‘wrong?'” she asked incredulously. “He didn’t — he went through open doors! He was escorted into the Senate! So I don’t know what’s wrong with that!” Continue reading.

Capitol Rioter Who Assaulted Police Traveled On Turning Point USA Bus

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A retired firefighter who threw a fire extinguisher at police officers during the January 6 Capitol insurrection was put under pretrial house arrest on Tuesday. Robert Sanford had surrendered himself to federal authorities on multiple charges nearly a week after the insurrection. HuffPo’s Ryan J. Reilly reported that according to Sanford’s attorney, the defendant traveled to Washington, D.C., on a bus organized by Turning Point Action, founded by Trump loyalist Charlie Kirk.

Following the insurrection, Kirk deleted a January 4 tweet saying his organization was sending 80 buses of Trump supporters to the “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6. A Turning Point Action spokesperson claimed that the organization had sent only seven buses to the capital and that the student protesters were not involved in the day’s violence.

During his January 4 podcast, Kirk stated, “Turning Point Action is being financially supportive of that rally. We are sending buses.” Continue reading.

D.C. Guard chief says ‘unusual’ restrictions slowed deployment of backup during Capitol riot

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The commanding general of the D.C. National Guard told lawmakers Wednesday that restrictions the Pentagon placed on him in the run-up to the Capitol riot and lag time in decision-making by his chain of command prevented him from more quickly sending forces to help quell the violence.

Maj. Gen. William J. Walker said his hands were tied by the Pentagon for more than three hours after he received a call from the Capitol Police chief saying a request for backup was imminent, delaying the arrival of military forces at the premises as lawmakers evacuated or barricaded themselves in offices during one of the biggest national security failures since the 9/11 attacks.

Walker described how he had troops ready and waiting to be sent to the Capitol but did not have sign-off from the Pentagon, which in directives ahead of the events had restricted his leeway to respond to contingencies. Continue reading.

D.C. Guard chief says ‘unusual’ restrictions slowed deployment of backup during Capitol riot

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The commanding general of the D.C. National Guard told lawmakers Wednesday that restrictions the Pentagon placed on him in the run-up to the Capitol riot and lag time in decision-making by his chain of command prevented him from more quickly sending forces to help quell the violence.

Maj. Gen. William J. Walker said his hands were tied by the Pentagon for more than three hours after he received a call from the Capitol Police chief saying a request for backup was imminent, delaying the arrival of military forces at the premises as lawmakers evacuated or barricaded themselves in offices during one of the biggest national security failures since the 9/11 attacks.

Walker described how he had troops ready and waiting to be sent to the Capitol but did not have sign-off from the Pentagon, which in directives ahead of the events had restricted his leeway to respond to contingencies. Continue reading.

Wray: FBI deemed Jan. 6 attack domestic terrorism

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FBI Director Christopher Wray said Tuesday that officials have classified the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by former President Trump‘s supporters as domestic terrorism.

“That attack, that siege, was criminal behavior, plain and simple, and it’s behavior that we, the FBI, view as domestic terrorism,” Wray told lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Wray said the FBI has received more than 270,000 tips from Americans that have helped the bureau identify the numerous people who allegedly participated in the attack. Continue reading.

Jan. 6 Revolt Compels Some Democrats to Reassess Bipartisan Ties

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  • 139 House Republicans opposed Biden’s Electoral College votes
  • AOC leans toward opposing bills sponsored by those lawmakers

One of the most routine and noncontroversial of all congressional votes — renaming a post office — became a point of partisan contention last week when a House Democrat briefly halted a usually unanimous move because the Republican sponsor voted against certifying the presidential election.

It was the latest display of the tension that’s lingered in the Capitol since Jan. 6, when an insurrection by Donald Trump supporters was followed by 139 House Republicans supporting Trump’s call to overturn the Electoral College result.

But while some in the party have vowed to stop working with those Republicans on legislation, moderate Democrats are reconciling their disgust, frustration, and disappointment with the need to work in a bipartisan manner — not only to get legislation passed, but also as part of a commitment they made to constituents in their swing districts. Continue reading.

Trump falsely claims he ‘requested’ 10,000 troops rejected by Pelosi

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“I requested … I definitely gave the number of 10,000 National Guardsmen, and [said] I think you should have 10,000 of the National Guard ready. They took that number. From what I understand, they gave it to the people at the Capitol, which is controlled by Pelosi. And I heard they rejected it because they didn’t think it would look good. So, you know, that was a big mistake.”

—Former president Donald Trump, in an interview with Steve Hilton of Fox News, Feb. 28, 2021

We’re going to try to have a high bar for fact checks of former president Donald Trump. His speech Sunday to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was mostly a replay of false claims he has said many times before, all documented in our Trump claims database. So we took a pass on that.

A large majority of senators — even those who did not vote to convict him at his impeachment trial — regard Trump as responsible for the riot and believe he failed to act decisively as the violence unfolded. So it would be significant if Trump actually requested the dispatch of National Guard troops at the Capitol — especially if, as Trump suggests, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) then blocked that deployment.

But it did not happen. Continue reading.

Maskless Trump supporter turned in by his own family for being inside the Capitol during riot: report

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The FBI and federal prosecutors continue to make progress identifying people who were inside the U.S. Capitol during the fatal January 6th insurrection.

“Federal authorities had help identifying the pony-tailed man wearing a ‘Keep America Great’ sweatshirt who popped up in numerous photographs inside the U.S. Capitol. Grayson Sherrill’s family turned him in,” the Charlotte Observer reported Monday.

“A newly unsealed complaint charges Sherrill with three felonies: knowingly entering and remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; knowingly engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted area; and violent and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds,” the newspaper reported. “A series of photographs included in the federal complaint against him shows a dark-haired, pony-tailed man wearing jeans, combat boots and a red Trump sweatshirt moving through the Capitol carrying either a rod or cane-like object.” Continue reading.

Massive investment in social studies and civics education proposed to address eroding trust in democratic institutions

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It has been a bad 12 months for the practice of civics in America.

The U.S. Capitol attacked by thugs. An alleged plot to kidnap a state governor. Bogus claims of widespread election fraud. Violent protests in the streets. Death threats against public health officials. And a never-ending barrage of anger and misinformation on social media directed at, and by, politicians, leaders, pundits and an increasingly bitter and frustrated populace.

As the battles have raged, trust in institutions — government, media, the law — has plummeted.

So how did we get here? And how do we get out? Continue reading.

Threats to Capitol prompt House to cancel Thursday votes

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House Democrats will accelerate passage of a sweeping police reform bill, bringing the legislation to the floor Wednesday night — and canceling votes Thursday — amid revelations of new threats to the Capitol.

Democrats had initially intended a Thursday vote on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021. They altered the schedule Wednesday, prompted by fears from lawmakers that their physical safety was at risk from conservative militia groups threatening violence at the Capitol on Thursday, according to four Democratic sources familiar with the change.

“[There’s] growing concern about threats to the Capitol and Democratic lawmakers in particular tomorrow,” one Democratic lawmaker texted. Continue reading.