Former President Trump incited a violent insurrection against our democracy. He charged up a violent mob to attack the Capitol to stop the Congress from fulfilling our Constitutional duty to count the electoral ballots that have duly elected the next President & Vice President 1/

The mob violently attacked law enforcement and smashed its way into the Capitol, calling for the hanging of the Vice President and hunting the Speaker and Members of Congress. 2/
#Capitol #ImpeachAndConvict

Five Americans have died following this violent attack and more than 50 police officers were seriously injured, including 15 officers who were hospitalized – and without law enforcement’s heroism, the attack could have been even worse. 3/
#Capitol #ImpeachAndConvict

President Trump caused this attack and refused to stop it – using social media to urge his supporters to come to Washington to disrupt the counting of the electoral ballots, 4/
#Capitol #ImpeachAndConvict

Trump encouraged the rioters to ‘march on the Capitol’ and ‘fight like hell, and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.’ The President then ignored or rejected entreaties to call off the mob when it became violent. 5/ #ImpeachAndConvict

.@Tyler_t_moran and Esther Olavarria.

Johnny Nash sums up my feelings at this, because words don’t suffice.

https://t.co/r3apSHRBuc

I know it’s so hard for folks to understand how important this is, even for me. I don’t have words. My mind is all garbling with how incredible Esther and @tyler_t_moran are.

Both of them are incredibly humble. Both likely annoyed right now at the fuss. “Let’s get to work!”

.@Tyler_t_moran serving the office of @SenatorReid would come to Nevada and meet with families to see what the problems were in our communities. She used to go to their homes (not typical) eat with them and in that beautiful language that can only be shared around food -

would ask them what was wrong. People would look at me asking for cues “just dígale” and they would unleash what ICE had done to them, how a notario had explained something to them, as they pulled out all the receipts from a plastic bag and handed them to @tyler_t_moran -

.@Tyler_t_moran would patiently sit there with them and ask “por que!?” She would turn to us and say “is this common?” *nods* her calm demeanor would turn slightly pink as anger flowed but she’d keep asking, pulling out her little notebook and pen. A week later she’d contact -

The Grifter - In 9 Tweets

1)

Frontpage lawsuit by a Jane Doe in April 2016 against Candidate Trump, during the run-up to the Presidential

2)

After the headlines did their damage, the case was suddenly

3)

Politico confirmed in #2 above that the Jane Doe lawsuit in April 2016 ahead of the 2016 Presidential Election, was in fact Virginia Giuffre

4)

Yet in 2016 Giuffre sued the President anyway, nearly costing him the election. Certainly impacting it.

5)

Giuffre started trying to take/shake down President Trump in 2016, went quiet for 4 years, and now she's back again in 2020?

Why 4 years of silence then strike again now?

The abuse of Lincoln’s second Inaugural speech by GOP seditionists who are making bad faith calls for unity is appalling. Lincoln did indeed say with “Malice towards none and charity for all....”. He said it in the context of finishing the war which had killed 600,000. (1)

The preceding paragraph of the speech is important. It reads, “ Fondly do we hope - fervently do we pray ~ that this mighty scourge of war may pass speedily away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all of the wealth plied by the bondman’s 250 years of unrequited toil

Shall be sunk and until every drop of blood drawn by the lash shall be paid with another drawn with the sword as was said three thousand years ago so still it must be said “ the judgements of the lord are true and righteous altogether”. Lincoln was making clear that he would

Not yield in the prosecution of the war and the military destruction of the Southern insurrection. There would be charity after victory. That charity was offered without compromise or condition. It followed unconditional surrender. One month after Lincoln delivered this speech

he sat behind Jefferson Davis’s desk. He sat there as a conqueror. The south’s slave autocracy was destroyed. Lee would surrender within days. American democracy was poisoned by a “Big Lie” during November and December. 147 Memners of Congress embraced the lie and betrayed

This is supremely clever propaganda. A former PLA senior colonel, Zhou Bo, writes for the once balanced SCMP (what a fall!) about the "inevitable decline of the US" and wonders if it will be peaceful.

"inevitabile decline",
a) the "inevitability" itself is removed from the central focus, that from any challenge or question.
and
b) the old question of whether China's rise (again considered inevitable) will be itself be peaceful is completely ignored.
Interestingly, however,

he also states that "China’s rise so far has been peaceful" - only "so far", mind.
Let's ignore for a moment China's actions against the Filipinos in the South China Sea, its provoking the Japanese SDF in the East China Sea or its initiating a major confrontation along the

disputed boundary with India in 2020. Zhou is signalling that if the US isn't going to be peaceful, don't expect China to be either.
"the Pentagon’s unabated military interventions after the Cold War have reduced the US’ national strength – a point few seem to disagree with now"

No definition provided for "national strength". Just a bald assertion. Accept it, swallow it - as Zhou rushes quickly to the next point
"when a democracy is in decline, it may become vitriolic and violent" - forget that authoritarian states are at all times vitriolic and violent

Does anybody want to know how the Darkness to Light Theme came along?

Voters: each voter is responsible for our choice. In 2016 we were attacked by Russia, who interfered with our election. Russia started interfering as far back as 2012 and they focused on conservatives so they could place a president who would help their agenda. 1/

Denying it happened is silly. Every one of our intel agencies including the Senate has agreed we were overwhelmingly attacked by Russia. No, they didn’t change votes, but they changed MINDS. Their aim was to create chaos, make us distrust our government, and they wanted...2/

...division so we would have a civil war. The Kremlin wanted Trump as president. He was the man for them to manipulate.

SO it is urgent we realize that this insurrection which was incited by Trump fits right into one of Russia’s Active Measures

We have a choice. We live in a democracy. We are protected in this democracy. We are free to speak, to worship, to protest to get peaceful redress (remedy for problems) and in authoritarian countries, such freedoms don’t exist. Trump is a criminal who wants to...4/

...overthrow this government. He has been taking illegal steps and is trying to throw out millions of legal votes. He used his power, our tax money and his status to file and he lost over 60 lawsuits trying to prove election fraud. He did not prove fraud. The election is...

5

Days after a Capitol insurrection that left 5 people dead, and as we learn of domestic terrorism threats ahead of inauguration, I still can't wrap my head around House Republicans having a full-blown tantrum about having to walk through a metal detector.

What is going on here?

At best, these GOP lawmakers are embarrassingly entitled.

At worst, they’re sneaking guns onto the House floor and don't want to get caught -- and terrifying their colleagues in the meantime.

These are actual quotes from House Republicans reacting to have to walk through a metal detector to get onto the House floor.

“Horse shit!”

“You are creating a problem you do not understand the ramifications of!”

“You can’t stop me, I’m on my way to a vote!"

The Capitol Police officers by the metal detector -- some of whom just saved these lawmakers' lives last week -- had to stand there and get yelled at, and be told the situation is "unconstitutional."

There is nothing in the Constitution about walking through a metal detector.

Never mind that you're not allowed to bring a gun onto the House floor, which it sure sounds like Rep. Madison Cawthorn did.

Some lawmakers are afraid of EACH OTHER. Some are raising concerns about Trump allied-lawmakers being conspirators with the violent insurrectionists.

Last day of the Donald Trump presidency. Let's see where we're at on those 2016 campaign promises!

1. "I will build a great wall, and Mexico will pay for it!"
Only 80 miles of new wall was built where there was none before. Mexico didn't pay for it... you did.

2. "If I become president, we're all going to be saying 'Merry Christmas' again."
...

3. "I'll eliminate 'Department of Environment Protection' (EPA)"

He did cut the budget, but the EPA is still alive and well. In fact, he felt the EPA was necessary enough to look into his claim of “People are flushing toilets 10 times, 15 times as opposed to once."
No, really.

4. Heavily surveil and close some mosques in the US, and create database of Syrian refugees.

Good news! No mosques were closed on government order.
But if you really think mosques weren't being surveilled before, or that Feds didn't already have refugees in a database...

For our story today on the Capitol Police, I went on a fascinating tour of our archives, full of bomb threats, assassination plots and forgotten causes. (Imagine a Congressman getting arrested today in a Capitol men's room on sodomy charges...) Here's a sampling: 1/

The 1st mention of the Capitol Police involved the certification of Lincoln's election in 1861. “A few weeks ago many freely predicted that the counting of the electoral votes would never be peacefully accomplished.” 2/



The Vice-President finally announced that Lincoln and Hamlin had been elected, calming fears of unrest. 3/

When it came time for the inauguration of Lincoln, the object of an assassination plot, the Capitol Police said they would “admit no strangers except ladies.” 4/

The Capitol Police were often mocked. After someone defaced the building with oil and “a large quantity of blue ink,” they were faulted for not being able to catch the person. The Times said, “The Lieutenant devotes his time to the sale of lemonade and cake in the dome.” 5/

A statement from Met leadership on the Capitol desecration:

"The attack on the United States Capitol was an act of domestic terrorism that violated our nation’s highest values." 1/12

"The actions of these treasonous rioters underscore the threat to democracy in a society where misinformation, racism, and other hateful ideologies are allowed to run rampant." 2/12

"Bringing to justice those responsible for these criminal actions is an essential first step towards healing and reconciliation for a deeply divided nation." 3/12

"Last week’s events at the Capitol were not only an attack on the lawmakers who were there to certify the election but also on the very symbols of our government and this country’s ideals. The Met has a responsibility to speak out on both of these areas." 4/12

"The Capitol building and its treasured art collection were subject to acts of shameful vandalism and desecration, including the spraying of a blood-like substance on statues and the general destruction of art and objects throughout the building." 5/12

It seems to me people are deliberately ignoring the differences between elections and referendums.

Referendums are single issue votes that have seismic impacts. Massive change is enacted if change wins.

That is why they cannot be every few years.

Uncertainty kills economy.

YESTERDAY WAS A HARD,
DISAPPOINTING DAY FOR
PATRIOTS.

PEOPLE SHOWED US
WHO THEY ARE.

PERHAPS SEVERAL YOU
KNOW ALREADY JUMPED SHIP.

BUT AS JOE SAT AT THE
RESOLUTE, TRYING HIS BEST
TO UNDO POTUS’ LEGACY,
SOMETHING HIT ME.

NONE OF HIS EXECUTIVE
ACTIONS CAN GO INTO
EFFECT UNTIL AFTER 30
DAYS.

30 DAYS.

WHAT DOES THAT
REMIND YOU OF?

DROP #970

DONE IN 30.
HOUSE CLEANING.
WH SECURED.
FINAL STAGE.

DROP # 1281

WHAT WAS COMPLETED
AND RELEASED TODAY?
RE: FLYNN?
“DONE IN 30”.
EXPAND.

I want to try to build on the excellent points made by @dpcassidyC3, @DavidAFrench, @Peter_Wehner & others about the need to disentangle the white, evangelical church from far right wing politics and its contribution to the insurrection.

I want to consider practical steps. 1/21

But first, a defense. Why the need to do this? And why address this, but not, say the BLM protests?

Because many of us are adjacent to these types of right wing Christians. These are our folk.

We may not have them in our congregations, but we know them. 2/

I don't know anyone in Antifa. I don't know anyone who lit buildings on fire this summer.

Of course arson is wrong, but my primary job is to care for our folk, not call out the sins of others (see I Cor 5:9-12). 3/

And we know the kinds of folks who went to the MAGA rally on Jan. 6th. If they are not in our churches, they are adjacent to our churches. Folks who promoted the patently false narratives about the election. 4/

They covered over the president's abuse of democratic norms and the rule of law. They chose to ignore many warning signs, going all the way back to 2015. 5/

After following political issues, stories and videos since prior to 2008 when Obama ran for office and watching Christians seemingly asleep on the job, so to speak I have come to a conclusion that I feel I need to share with those who follow me. Because there are so many stories

BREAKING: For the fourth time this week, the Supreme Court has voted 6-3 to clear the way for a last-minute federal execution before Trump leaves office. Justices Breyer and Sotomayor write dissents. Justice Kagan also notes her dissent.

Dustin Higgs has COVID-19 and will be executed tonight despite lung damage that could turn his lethal injection into an egregiously painful death.

Here is Justice Sotomayor’s closing.

Here is Breyer on the SCOTUS majority’s rush to execute

Sotomayor names the federal inmates who have been killed since Trump revived the federal death penalty—a punishment that Biden will put a moratorium on next week

Sotomayor: “This is not justice.”

After voting in 2008, sat in my car and sobbed because I had the opportunity to vote for someone who looked like me.

Me, the granddaughter of folks who survived Jim Crow, who paid poll taxes in order to vote, who made the decision to send my mother to integrate her HS.

I thought about my grandmothers, who were living at the time and how stunned they were that this option would be available in *their* lifetimes.

I thought about the work I do and how it contributes to a larger ecosystem of work that led to that moment.

I sobbed. It was joy, sadness, pride, worry, indebtedness to the ancestors...It was more than a moment.

I sobbed again at both of the subsequent Obama inaugurations because #representationmatters.

To see my country respond with Trump was a stark reminder that many in the country expect BIPOC folks to mind our social status as less than. The last 4 years has been painful to watch for many of us--certainly not all--but it has been devastating...#400Klost

Last fall, I helped my own daughter complete her voting ballot that included a Black/SE Asian woman on the top ticket. Yep, I sobbed, because I imagine that I felt a little of what my parents & grands felt in 2008. That sense of inclusion, of being seen, of being valued.