Wednesday, January 06, 2021

END THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY NOW! Updated: Are we about to take a drive down 25th Street?

The Capitol building is no longer in the hands of the insurrectionists. The National Guard from Maryland and Virginia finally showed up to enforce the curfew enacted by the DC Mayor. 
 
 
At least one congressional objector to the counting of the Electoral College vote has withdrawn her objection; I think she will soon be joined by others. Per Rachel Maddow just now, Rand Paul has announced that there will be little or no debate over the election results. 

Republican senator Richard Burr has declared that Trump is responsible for the igniting coup attempt.
 
Pence has clearly signaled that he has had enough of Trump's shit. I've heard bizarre reports that the DoD, or a faction thereof, has been reporting to him, not to Trump. Apparently, Pence called in the National Guard, though he had no authority to do so. Some say that Pence is already acting as Commander in Chief. There are increasing calls -- and not just from the usual suspects -- for Pence to support an attempt to invoke the 25th.

Impeachment is definitely in the air. A growing number of Republicans are calling for Trump to resign.
 
The first lady's chief of staff has resigned.
 
As for the fascist thugs who staged this disgusting assault: For once I am glad that they refuse to wear masks. I've seen some very clear photos of their faces. They also tend to use Parler, which helpfully retains their real names and contact info. Modern technology will make it very easy to identify each one of the Q qrazies. And as Benjamin Wittes has made clear, they are all guilty of sedition
 
LOCK THEM UP. If they get away with this outrage, we will see a repetition of this day. 

If Trump is not removed pronto, he will pardon those disgusting fascist thugs. David Frum:
OK Republicans. You say, "This is not who we are"? Prove it. Impeach and remove Trump tonight. 
Impeachment is dandy, but the 25th is quicker. Trump is clearly -- literally -- insane. Everyone who heard his conversation with the Georgia Secretary of State knows that Trump truly believes that he won every single state. In a recent tweet, he referred to his "sacred landslide election victory."

Stop rationalizing and excusing madness. We cannot allow this nut to remain in office another day. Even Charles Kushner -- Jared's crooked dad, recently pardoned by Trump -- has basically admitted that Trump has lost his marbles.

Jim Acosta of CNN says that he has spoken to a GOP source "close to the president who speaks with him regularly, and I take no pleasure in reporting this, but this source tells me that he believes the president is out of his mind." I'm not the only person who believes that this source may well be Pence. There is even a report that Pence has unfollowed Trump on Twitter.
 
Multiple sources are now suggesting that Pence is going to take a drive down 25th Street. At this writing, that claim is hovering in a space somewhere between rumor and report.
 
I've seen a rumor that Mitch McConnell has told White House staffers -- many of whom are ready to resign -- to hang on for one may day. If that rumor is true, we have another strong signal that impeachment or the 25th is a-comin'. 
 
Update: The signals are getting stronger and stronger as the night progresses.
JUST IN: “This is not news we deliver lightly,”
@margbrennan
 says as she reports: Trump Cabinet secretaries are discussing invoking the 25th Amendment to remove President Trump. Nothing formal yet presented to VP Pence.

“I’m talking about actual members of the Cabinet,” she says
Even Josh Hawley seems to be distancing himself from Trump, after a day when so many have discussed Hawley's own removal.

White House correspondent April Ryan:
Congressional leaders are in the undisclosed location and focusing on the 25th Amendment to get out of office!
More signals. I think that action may occur shortly after Biden's election is officially secured.
 
All the Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee just wrote a letter to Vice President Pence, urging him to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump:
Lindsay Graham just distanced himself from Trump. Lindsay Graham.

Late update: Matt Gaetz -- sounding more insane than usual -- blamed the insurrection on Antifa, claiming that "facial recognition software" has exposed their deception. Apparently, this mad claim is now becoming the standard excuse all over the right-wing social networks. Sarah Palin -- who wants Trump to start his own party -- also blames Antifa.

After-action conspiracy theorizing cannot hide the truth. The Trumpers have been planning this insurrection for weeks. On Parler and on other forums, they've made no secret of their willingness to take the Capitol and to shed blood. Even the pro-Trump media has debunked the nutball claim that the rioters were masked Antifa supporters. 
 
(I've been an Antifa critic, but those disorganized toons aren't capable of this sort of action. The Trumpers have created an "Antifa" which is purely imaginary -- an all-purpose bogeyman.)
 
White House lawyer Pat Cipollone is telling staffers not to talk to Trump.
Cipollone’s purported concern that Trump was committing treason––a federal crime––illustrates the chaos and fear of Wednesday’s unprecedented events.
Vanity Fair spoke to a source who claims that Trump is glad the two Republican candidates lost in Georgia. Apparently, he thinks that diminishing McConnell's power will insure that Trump will remain the dominant force in Republican politics.
 
After today? Fat chance, future jailbird. 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Joe - I’m the anon that told you a few days ago to chill out, and it’s all going to be ok... Felt obligated to write in and give a mea culpa. I expected a very serious protest, but nothing like this. You called it. At the same time, I’m telling all my like minded friends not to encourage killing and escalation. It just won’t help.

enif said...

two unrelated things that happened today trump has had his sir have you no shame moment
and stacey abrams should receive bidens first medal of freedom

Anonymous said...

If Trump is removed from office what am I going to watch on the evening clown show news for entertainment after a hard days work?

Anonymous said...

At least the news is finally using the “riot” label.

Gus said...

Lest we forget also, that the Proud Boys were planning to dress all in black (like ANTIFA, allegedly) for the rally at the capitol. So even if there were people there that some thought looked like ANTIFA, they were more than likely disguised to try to move blame away from the Trump supporters.