After being interrupted by the afternoon's insurrection, Congress reconvened to finish the vote on counting the electoral votes at 8:00 PM eastern time on January 6th. By the end of the session at 3:40 AM, 147 Republican members of Congress had committed sedition and were forever on the record in support of the coup.
Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani (who helped incite the insurrection by telling the rioters to engage in a "trial by combat") frantically tried to convince Senator Tuberville to object to 10 states, in order to prolong the vote to give Giuliani more time to fabricate his non-existent evidence of fraud. Instead, Republicans were able to object to just two states: Arizona (in progress before the insurrection) and Pennsylvania.
https://thedispatch.com/p/giuliani-to-senator-try-to-just-slow
***
In the afternoon, before Congress was evacuated due to the insurrection, Democrat party Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Republican's intent to vote to reject the electoral votes an "insurrection" and "attempted coup". Senator Amy Klobuchar praised the "coup-fighters" in both parties. I want to make clear they were referring to the vote itself, because the chaos at the Capitol building had not yet happened. Later, after the dust settled from Trump supporters storming the Capitol, countless politicians labelled that event an insurrection, sedition, and coup attempt as well.
Even after the insurrection, 6 Republican Senators decided to commit sedition by voting for the coup. The following Senators voted against counting Arizona's electoral votes:
Josh Hawley (Missouri)
Ted Cruz (Texas)
John Kennedy (Louisiana)
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Mississippi)
Including 2 Senators sworn in on January 3rd, 2021:
Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
Roger Marshall (Kansas)
The following 9 Senators previously indicated they would support the coup vote, but it took a violent insurrection for them to reconsider whether they wanted to go forever on the record of voting for high treason. (Lummis and Scott would later vote to support the coup during the vote on Pennsylvania).
Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee)
Mike Braun (Indiana)
Steve Daines (Montana)
Bill Hagerty (Tennessee)
Ron Johnson (Wisconsin)
James Lankford (Oklahoma)
Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming)
Rick Scott (Florida)
Kelly Loeffler (Georgia)
Even after the insurrection, 121 Republican Representatives voted for the coup by rejecting Arizona's electoral votes. There are 211 Republicans in the House. 58% of Republicans in the House voted for the coup, even after the violent insurrection. Their names can be found below:
https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll010.xml
https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202110?Page=2
***
74+ Republican Representatives attempted to object to Georgia's electoral votes, but the Senators who endorsed the objection appeared to have withdrawn their objection, and thus Georgia's votes were counted without debate.
70+ Republican Representatives attempted to object to Michigan's electoral votes. The objection was not signed by any Senators and thus Michigan's votes were counted without debate.
55+ Republican Representatives attempted to object to Nevada's electoral votes. The objection was not signed by any Senators and thus Nevada's votes were counted without debate.
***
80+ Republican Representatives and a Senator objected to Pennsylvania's electoral votes. The objection was signed by Senator Josh Hawley (Missouri) and Representative Scott Perry (Pennsylvania).
The Senate quickly voted while the House spent their 2 hours making statements. 7 Senators decided to commit sedition by voting for the coup. The following Senators voted against counting Pennsylvania's electoral votes:
Josh Hawley (Missouri)
Ted Cruz (Texas)
Rick Scott (Florida)
Cindy Hyde-Smith (Mississippi)
Including 3 Senators sworn in on January 3rd, 2021:
Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming)
Roger Marshall (Kansas)
Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
(Senator Kennedy voted yes in the Arizona vote, but not on the Pennsylvania vote. Lummis and Scott voted no in the Arizona vote but yet in the Pennsylvania vote.)
At 2:29 AM on January 7th, the House began voting.
Even after the insurrection, 138 Republican Representatives voted for the coup by rejecting Pennsylvania's electoral votes. There are 211 Republicans in the House. 65% of Republicans in the House voted for the coup. Their names can be found below:
https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll011.xml
https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202111?Page=2
***
71 Republican Representatives attempted to object to Wisconsin's electoral votes. The objection was not signed by any Senators and thus Wisconsin's votes were counted without debate.
At 3:39 AM, the votes had finally been finalized. Pence, presiding over the Senate, acknowledged Biden's presidency.
***
In total, 8 Senators and 139 Representatives voted in favor of the doomed coup, even after the violent insurrection. There are 262 Republicans in Congress, which means 56% of Republican members of Congress decided to go forever on the record as committing sedition by supporting a futile coup attempt.
Repeat this over and over again: a majority of Republicans supported this. These are the people who are going to be making our laws for the next 2+ years.
WANTED: for high treason.
A list, with their photos, can be found below:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/07/us/elections/electoral-college-biden-objectors.html
Politicians in the Senate who voted to overthrow the election:
Tommy Tuberville, Ala.
Rick Scott, Fla.
Roger Marshall, Kan.
John Kennedy, La.
Cindy Hyde-Smith, Miss.
Josh Hawley, Mo.
Ted Cruz, Texas
Cynthia Lummis, Wyo.
Politicians in the House of Representatives who voted to overthrow the election (alphabetized by state):
Robert B. Aderholt, Ala.
Mo Brooks, Ala.
Jerry Carl, Ala.
Barry Moore, Ala.
Gary Palmer, Ala.
Mike Rogers, Ala.
Andy Biggs, Ariz.
Paul Gosar, Ariz.
Debbie Lesko, Ariz.
David Schweikert, Ariz.
Rick Crawford, Ark.
Ken Calvert, Calif.
Mike Garcia, Calif.
Darrell Issa, Calif.
Doug LaMalfa, Calif.
Kevin McCarthy, Calif.
Devin Nunes, Calif.
Jay Obernolte, Calif.
Lauren Boebert, Colo.
Doug Lamborn, Colo.
Kat Cammack, Fla.
Mario Diaz-Balart, Fla.
Byron Donalds, Fla.
Neal Dunn, Fla.
Scott Franklin, Fla.
Matt Gaetz, Fla.
Carlos Gimenez, Fla.
Brian Mast, Fla.
Bill Posey, Fla.
John Rutherford, Fla.
Greg Steube, Fla.
Daniel Webster, Fla.
Rick Allen, Ga.
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter, Ga.
Andrew Clyde, Ga.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ga.
Jody Hice, Ga.
Barry Loudermilk, Ga.
Russ Fulcher, Idaho
Mike Bost, Ill.
Mary Miller, Ill.
Jim Baird, Ind.
Jim Banks, Ind.
Greg Pence, Ind.
Jackie Walorski, Ind.
Ron Estes, Kan.
Jacob LaTurner, Kan.
Tracey Mann, Kan.
Harold Rogers, Ky.
Garret Graves, La.
Clay Higgins, La.
Mike Johnson, La.
Steve Scalise, La.
Andy Harris, Md.
Jack Bergman, Mich.
Lisa McClain, Mich.
Tim Walberg, Mich.
Michelle Fischbach, Minn.
Jim Hagedorn, Minn.
Michael Guest, Miss.
Trent Kelly, Miss.
Steven Palazzo, Miss.
Sam Graves, Mo.
Vicky Hartzler, Mo.
Billy Long, Mo.
Blaine Luetkemeyer, Mo.
Jason Smith, Mo.
Matt Rosendale, Mont.
Dan Bishop, N.C.
Ted Budd, N.C.
Madison Cawthorn, N.C.
Virginia Foxx, N.C.
Richard Hudson, N.C.
Gregory F. Murphy, N.C.
David Rouzer, N.C.
Jeff Van Drew, N.J.
Yvette Herrell, N.M.
Chris Jacobs, N.Y.
Nicole Malliotakis, N.Y.
Elise M. Stefanik, N.Y.
Lee Zeldin, N.Y.
Adrian Smith, Neb.
Steve Chabot, Ohio
Warren Davidson, Ohio
Bob Gibbs, Ohio
Bill Johnson, Ohio
Jim Jordan, Ohio
Stephanie Bice, Okla.
Tom Cole, Okla.
Kevin Hern, Okla.
Frank Lucas, Okla.
Markwayne Mullin, Okla.
Cliff Bentz, Ore.
John Joyce, Pa.
Fred Keller, Pa.
Mike Kelly, Pa.
Daniel Meuser, Pa.
Scott Perry, Pa.
Guy Reschenthaler, Pa.
Lloyd Smucker, Pa.
Glenn Thompson, Pa.
Jeff Duncan, S.C.
Ralph Norman, S.C.
Tom Rice, S.C.
William Timmons, S.C.
Joe Wilson, S.C.
Tim Burchett, Tenn.
Scott DesJarlais, Tenn.
Chuck Fleischmann, Tenn.
Mark E. Green, Tenn.
Diana Harshbarger, Tenn.
David Kustoff, Tenn.
John Rose, Tenn.
Jodey Arrington, Texas
Brian Babin, Texas
Michael C. Burgess, Texas
John R. Carter, Texas
Michael Cloud, Texas
Pat Fallon, Texas
Louie Gohmert, Texas
Lance Gooden, Texas
Ronny Jackson, Texas
Troy Nehls, Texas
August Pfluger, Texas
Pete Sessions, Texas
Beth Van Duyne, Texas
Randy Weber, Texas
Roger Williams, Texas
Ron Wright, Texas
Burgess Owens, Utah
Chris Stewart, Utah
Ben Cline, Va.
Bob Good, Va.
Morgan Griffith, Va.
Robert J. Wittman, Va.
Carol Miller, W.Va.
Alexander X. Mooney, W.Va.
Scott Fitzgerald, Wis.
Tom Tiffany, Wis.
***
Among these criminals are people such as Kevin McCarthy, Republican House Minority Leader--who was one of the first Congressmen to help spread Trump's rhetoric about coups early in 2019; Steve Scalise, Republican Minority Whip in the House; Devin Nunes, who was recently awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom by Trump for his role in sabotaging the House Intelligence Committee's investigations into Trump's treason from 2017-2019; Greg Pence, Vice President Mike Pence's brother; and Matt Gaetz, who is already pushing "alternative facts" that antifa were the ones ransacking the Capitol.
Regarding McCarthy and Scalise's role in setting the stage for this, here's an article from December 11, 2020--back when some people still insisted the "coup" was just hyperbole. (Note this article is not talking about the vote last night, but the earlier lawsuit to overturn the election!)
"GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy Signs On To Election Coup Lawsuit. McCarthy is the highest-ranking House Republican to signal approval of Trump’s anti-democratic election stunt.
WASHINGTON — Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) became one of the latest House Republicans Friday to sign on to a lawsuit to invalidate the election results, marking a new low point of depravity for the GOP leader and the Republican conference.
More than half of House Republicans, 126 of 196, have now signed on to the baseless lawsuit to overthrow President-elect Joe Biden and keep President Donald Trump in office. And more could still join, in a final act of fealty to Trump and his false claims of election fraud.
[...]
when No. 2 House Republican Steve Scalise, the minority whip from Louisiana, signed, McCarthy apparently made the decision to follow suit, not to be outflanked on his right by one of the only Republicans who could beat McCarthy in a race to be Speaker.
With both men signed on, House Republicans are being led by two men who support overthrowing the will of the people in service to Trump — or lack the courage to stand up to the president or his supporters."
On January 6th, McCarthy called the storming of the Capitol "un-American". Then he voted for the coup anyway.
On January 7th, Scalise said the Capitol was "overrun by anarchists and terrorists". He voted for the coup last night anyway.
Many other Republicans, such as Ted Cruz, also pretended to condemn the Republican insurrection and then committed another act of sedition by voting for the coup...
***
The Law
In addition to being imprisoned for 10 years for inciting insurrection, 20 years for seditious conspiracy, executed for treason, or a vast variety of other crimes the above-listed Congress members are guilty of, the 14th Amendment makes it quite clear they are no longer eligible to be in Congress:
"No Person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof."
https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxiv
The oath all members of Congress must swear:
"I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/5/3331
Here are just some of the crimes that were committed by Trump and Republicans:
"18 U.S. Code § 2381 - Treason
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States."
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2381
"18 U.S. Code § 2382 - Misprision of treason
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States and having knowledge of the commission of any treason against them, conceals and does not, as soon as may be, disclose and make known the same to the President or to some judge of the United States, or to the governor or to some judge or justice of a particular State, is guilty of misprision of treason and shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than seven years, or both."
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2382
"18 U.S. Code § 2383 - Rebellion or insurrection
Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States."
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2383
"18 U.S. Code § 2384 - Seditious conspiracy
If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both."
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2384
The conspiracy does not have to be successfully carried out for it to be a crime.
"Conspiracy
An agreement between two or more people to commit an illegal act, along with an intent to achieve the agreement's goal. Most U.S. jurisdictions also require an overt act toward furthering the agreement."
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/conspiracy
"18 U.S. Code § 2385 - Advocating overthrow of Government
[...]
Whoever organizes or helps or attempts to organize any society, group, or assembly of persons who teach, advocate, or encourage the overthrow or destruction of any such government by force or violence; or becomes or is a member of, or affiliates with, any such society, group, or assembly of persons, knowing the purposes thereof—
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.
If two or more persons conspire to commit any offense named in this section, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.
As used in this section, the terms “organizes” and “organize”, with respect to any society, group, or assembly of persons, include the recruiting of new members, the forming of new units, and the regrouping or expansion of existing clubs, classes, and other units of such society, group, or assembly of persons."
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2385
Speaker of the House Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Schumer and all the other politicians who were willing to call this event a coup, insurrection, sedition, and treason MUST pursue the highest level of criminal charges against those members of Congress who supported the coup attempt, committed sedition by inciting the insurrection, and committed treason by breaking their oaths to defend America against all foreign and domestic enemies. If they do not, this will mean Pelosi, Schumer, and all the others are complicit in the insurrection by helping Republicans cover it up and escape justice.
January 7:
"Pelosi and Schumer call for Trump’s immediate removal from office for ‘insurrection’
Both Democrats said the president incited an “insurrection” against the country. Schumer said that if Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet do not move to invoke the 25th Amendment, Congress should reconvene to impeach Trump."
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/07/chuck-schumer-calls-for-trumps-removal-from-office.html
"What happened at the U.S. Capitol yesterday was an insurrection against the United States, incited by President Trump.
This president must not hold office one day longer." -Chuck Schumer, January 7th.
https://twitter.com/SenSchumer/status/1347223559278653441
January 7:
""In calling for this seditious act, the president has committed an unspeakable assault on our nation, and our people," Pelosi said at a press conference at the Capitol Thursday. "I join the Senate Democratic leader in calling on the vice president to remove this president by immediately invoking the 25th Amendment. If the vice president and Cabinet do not act, the Congress may be prepared to move forward with impeachment."
We can't hide our heads in the sand or pretend this didn't happen any longer. The world is watching; even our allies are acknowledging this was a coup.
January 7:
"Some among America's military allies believe Trump deliberately attempted a coup and may have had help from federal law-enforcement officials
[...]
"We train alongside the US federal law enforcement to handle these very matters, and it's obvious that large parts of any successful plan were just ignored," one source told us.
[...]
Multiple European security officials told Insider that President Donald Trump appeared to have tacit support among US federal agencies responsible for securing the Capitol complex in Wednesday's coup attempt.
The supporters of President Donald Trump who stormed the Capitol on Wednesday to stop the ratification of President-elect Joe Biden's election victory were attempting a violent coup that multiple European security officials said appeared to have at least tacit support from aspects of the US federal agencies responsible for securing the Capitol complex.
Insider spoke with three officials on Thursday morning: a French police official responsible for public security in a key section of central Paris, and two intelligence officials from NATO countries who directly work in counterterrorism and counterintelligence operations involving the US, terrorism, and Russia.
They said the circumstantial evidence available pointed to what would be openly called a coup attempt in any other nation. None were willing to speak on the record because of the dire nature of the subject."
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-attempted-coup-federal-law-enforcement-capitol-police-2021-1
Even White House lawyers believe that there is a considerable likelihood Trump and his inner circle really could be prosecuted for the highest crimes in the land. If Trump's own people believe this is a real possibility, then what's to stop non-treasonous Americans from making it into a reality?
January 7:
"“They’re Being Told to Stay Away From Trump”: After a Day of Violence and 25th Amendment Chatter, Trump’s Allies Are Jumping Ship
As the violent mob incited by President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, some West Wing staffers panicked that they were possibly becoming participants in a coup to overthrow the government. “What do I do? Resign?” one nervous White House staffer asked a friend on Wednesday afternoon, shortly after news broke that a woman had been shot and killed inside the Capitol. The West Wing staffer told the friend that White House Counsel Pat Cipollone was urging White House officials not to speak to Trump or enable his coup attempt in any way, so they could reduce the chance they could be prosecuted for treason under the Sedition Act. “They’re being told to stay away from Trump,” the friend said. The White House declined to comment.
Cipollone’s purported concern that Trump was committing treason—a federal crime—illustrates the chaos and fear of Wednesday’s unprecedented events."
***
Everything that has happened is bad news for all the McConnells and Romneys who opposed the coup vote yesterday. They spent the entire Trump administration passively allowing this to unfold--or encouraging it, like McConnell--and they've lost control of their party because of it. The vote totals reveal that the majority of the Republican party is not only Trumpist, but so passionate about a treasonous con man that they have decided to go before the world and record their names forever in the historical record as supporting his coup, despite the coup vote having no chance of actually changing the outcome of the election.
In a sane world, even thinking about doing what they did would end their careers. Instead, they made the calculation that committing multiple counts of sedition would advance their careers more than following the law.
50 years ago, Nixon's own party forced him to resign over an "amateurish" break-in and wiretapping scandal. Now, Republicans are able to sustain a multi-month coup attempt and incite a violent insurrection in the Capitol building itself, and they may very well get away with it. The very first act of the Biden administration must be to form a Crimes Commission to punish every. single. person. involved in the Trump administration's crimes once and for all, or things will only continue to get worse. The only crime bigger than a half-assed coup attempt is a successful coup attempt--and already over 50% of Republicans assert their willingness to carry one out against all odds and facts.
If Republican politicians can commit all these crimes and if Republican voters have the nerve to storm the Capitol building, for the love of god, all non-treasonous Americans have got to find the willpower to hold criminals accountable. Is it even worth living in a world where holding criminals accountable is not a socially-acceptable Democrat party platform, but willingness to commit a coup is completely sensible enough to be an "electable" Republican party platform???
This isn't a game anymore. Our country is so dysfunctional that it is on the brink of collapse. Cleaning house and ridding ourselves of all these corrupt criminals must be done. It is the only route we have where America will not be completely destroyed. No matter how unpleasant, it has to be done. A state cannot exist when half of the population is emboldened to aid and abet treason and the other half is too scared to enforce the most basic of laws.
No comments:
Post a Comment