Trump Is Leaving Behind a Legacy of Insurrection, Corruption and Chaos
Late Night with Seth Meyers
A Closer Look
Jan 18, 2021
Seth takes a closer look at the damage President Trump will leave behind as we learn more about the insurrection he incited, his premeditated plan to steal the election and the Republican Party’s complicity.
Trump lashes out at Gov. Doug Ducey following certification
Re: Trump lashes out at Gov. Doug Ducey following certificat
by admin » Tue Jan 19, 2021 4:23 am
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Re: Trump lashes out at Gov. Doug Ducey following certificat
by admin » Tue Jan 19, 2021 5:43 am
Trump's influential supporters spoke of what was coming before riot
by CNN
Jan 18, 2021
Some of President Donald Trump's most influential supporters -- among them members of his inner circle who were in direct contact with the President -- spoke in ominous and violent terms about what was coming on January 6. CNN's Drew Griffin takes a look. #CNN #News
by CNN
Jan 18, 2021
Some of President Donald Trump's most influential supporters -- among them members of his inner circle who were in direct contact with the President -- spoke in ominous and violent terms about what was coming on January 6. CNN's Drew Griffin takes a look. #CNN #News
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Re: Trump lashes out at Gov. Doug Ducey following certificat
by admin » Tue Jan 19, 2021 5:47 am
Roger Stone Addresses Pro-Trump Rally in Washington, D.C.
by Roger Stone
Jan 5, 2021
by Roger Stone
Jan 5, 2021
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Re: Trump lashes out at Gov. Doug Ducey following certificat
by admin » Tue Jan 19, 2021 6:42 am
Democratic lawmaker accuses Boebert of giving tours prior to insurrection
by Jim Sciutto, Ryan Nobles and Annie Grayer
CNN
Updated 7:21 PM ET, Mon January 18, 2021
NOTICE: THIS WORK MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
(CNN) Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee said that he and a fellow lawmaker personally saw Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado guiding a group of people through the Cannon House Office Building tunnel in the days leading up the Capitol insurrection on January 6.
Cohen's accusation is significant because it is the first time a member of Congress has specifically accused another member of giving a tour of the Capitol complex prior to the riot. It comes after several Democratic members have suggested that their Republican colleagues may have been providing the tours as an opportunity for the would-be rioters to get the lay of the land ahead of a planned insurrection.
"Only thing that I've seen, Congressman Yarmuth refreshed my recollection yesterday. We saw (Rep.) Boebert taking a group of people for a tour sometime after the 3rd and before the 6th. I don't remember the day we were walking in a tunnel and we saw her and commented who she was and she had a large group with her. Now whether these people were people that were involved in the insurrection or not, I do not know," Cohen told CNN's Jim Sciutto on "CNN Newsroom."
Cohen continued, "She was a freshman, she might have had a large number of people coming to be with her on this historic occasion and just wanting to give them the opportunity to have a tour. But it is pretty clear that her team is the team -- she's not on the home team. She was with the visitors."
Boebert sent a letter to Cohen responding to the allegations he made on CNN, disputing the congressman's characterization and saying his comments "repeat irresponsible lies in order to elevate his own political relevance and to further fuel the division of our country."
"Let me be clear—all of your claims and implications are categorically false," Boebert wrote. "I have never given a tour of the U.S. Capitol to any outside group. As I previously stated, I brought my family to the Capitol on January 2nd for a tour and on the 3rd for pictures to commemorate the day I was sworn in as a Member of the U.S. Congress. Again, the only people I have ever had in the Capitol with me during the 117th Congress are my young children, husband, mom, aunt and uncle."
Cohen has not reported his observation to the FBI or Capitol Police, a spokesperson for the congressman told CNN.
"He was only reminded of it when he talked to Mr. Yarmuth yesterday," the spokesperson added.
A spokesperson for Yarmuth confirmed that the congressman recalled seeing a group of people with Boebert earlier this month but would not comment on who those people were.
"On either January 3 or 4, Congressman Yarmuth was in the Cannon Tunnel going back to his office and saw Congresswoman Boebert walking in the direction of the Capitol," Yarmuth spokesman Christopher Schuler said in a statement. "While Congressman Yarmuth remembers there was a group of people around Congresswoman Boebert, he has no knowledge of who they were or if they were with her."
While Cohen is the first to specifically name Boebert as someone who may have given the tours, the rumors surrounding her role in the days leading up to January 6 were so heated that the congresswoman preemptively denied any wrongdoing. Boebert sent Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York a letter denying that she gave tours to insurrectionists after an interview on MSNBC in which Maloney accused Republican members of doing so. Maloney never mentioned Boebert by name.
"The only people I have ever had in the Capitol with me are my young children, husband, mom, aunt and uncle," Boebert wrote in the letter to Maloney. "My mother was the only one of those family members in Washington D.C. on the 6th. During the riots, my mother was locked in a secure location, not in the U.S. Capitol, with my staff and never left their sight."
Prior to the pandemic, the public had wide-ranging access to the Capitol complex, including the tunnels connecting the member office buildings to the Capitol itself. The Sergeant at Arms banned all tours of the Capitol Grounds at the start of the pandemic, but members of Congress were able to ignore the guidance. Lawmakers or staff led tours have never had to register visitors with Capitol Police, a law enforcement official with direct knowledge of overall protocols told CNN.
Capitol Police and the FBI would not say on the record if they are investigating any members of Congress for their role in the planning leading up to the insurrection. USCP has not responded to CNN's request for comment about whether a tour led by Boebert is something they are looking into.
Still the activity of GOP members during that week, was enough for Democratic members to raise concerns to Capitol Police and the Sergeant at Arms. Their concerns were loud enough that the Capitol Police sent out a memo on January 4 reiterating the Capitol Hill policy that banned tours from the spring and completely shut down the Capitol Building on January 6 to only members and those who had offices there.
This story has been updated with additional developments Monday including a new statement from Boebert's office. CNN's Dana Bash and Sarah Westwood contributed to this report.
by Jim Sciutto, Ryan Nobles and Annie Grayer
CNN
Updated 7:21 PM ET, Mon January 18, 2021
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(CNN) Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee said that he and a fellow lawmaker personally saw Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado guiding a group of people through the Cannon House Office Building tunnel in the days leading up the Capitol insurrection on January 6.
Cohen's accusation is significant because it is the first time a member of Congress has specifically accused another member of giving a tour of the Capitol complex prior to the riot. It comes after several Democratic members have suggested that their Republican colleagues may have been providing the tours as an opportunity for the would-be rioters to get the lay of the land ahead of a planned insurrection.
"Only thing that I've seen, Congressman Yarmuth refreshed my recollection yesterday. We saw (Rep.) Boebert taking a group of people for a tour sometime after the 3rd and before the 6th. I don't remember the day we were walking in a tunnel and we saw her and commented who she was and she had a large group with her. Now whether these people were people that were involved in the insurrection or not, I do not know," Cohen told CNN's Jim Sciutto on "CNN Newsroom."
Cohen continued, "She was a freshman, she might have had a large number of people coming to be with her on this historic occasion and just wanting to give them the opportunity to have a tour. But it is pretty clear that her team is the team -- she's not on the home team. She was with the visitors."
Boebert sent a letter to Cohen responding to the allegations he made on CNN, disputing the congressman's characterization and saying his comments "repeat irresponsible lies in order to elevate his own political relevance and to further fuel the division of our country."
"Let me be clear—all of your claims and implications are categorically false," Boebert wrote. "I have never given a tour of the U.S. Capitol to any outside group. As I previously stated, I brought my family to the Capitol on January 2nd for a tour and on the 3rd for pictures to commemorate the day I was sworn in as a Member of the U.S. Congress. Again, the only people I have ever had in the Capitol with me during the 117th Congress are my young children, husband, mom, aunt and uncle."
Cohen has not reported his observation to the FBI or Capitol Police, a spokesperson for the congressman told CNN.
"He was only reminded of it when he talked to Mr. Yarmuth yesterday," the spokesperson added.
A spokesperson for Yarmuth confirmed that the congressman recalled seeing a group of people with Boebert earlier this month but would not comment on who those people were.
"On either January 3 or 4, Congressman Yarmuth was in the Cannon Tunnel going back to his office and saw Congresswoman Boebert walking in the direction of the Capitol," Yarmuth spokesman Christopher Schuler said in a statement. "While Congressman Yarmuth remembers there was a group of people around Congresswoman Boebert, he has no knowledge of who they were or if they were with her."
While Cohen is the first to specifically name Boebert as someone who may have given the tours, the rumors surrounding her role in the days leading up to January 6 were so heated that the congresswoman preemptively denied any wrongdoing. Boebert sent Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York a letter denying that she gave tours to insurrectionists after an interview on MSNBC in which Maloney accused Republican members of doing so. Maloney never mentioned Boebert by name.
"The only people I have ever had in the Capitol with me are my young children, husband, mom, aunt and uncle," Boebert wrote in the letter to Maloney. "My mother was the only one of those family members in Washington D.C. on the 6th. During the riots, my mother was locked in a secure location, not in the U.S. Capitol, with my staff and never left their sight."
Prior to the pandemic, the public had wide-ranging access to the Capitol complex, including the tunnels connecting the member office buildings to the Capitol itself. The Sergeant at Arms banned all tours of the Capitol Grounds at the start of the pandemic, but members of Congress were able to ignore the guidance. Lawmakers or staff led tours have never had to register visitors with Capitol Police, a law enforcement official with direct knowledge of overall protocols told CNN.
Capitol Police and the FBI would not say on the record if they are investigating any members of Congress for their role in the planning leading up to the insurrection. USCP has not responded to CNN's request for comment about whether a tour led by Boebert is something they are looking into.
Still the activity of GOP members during that week, was enough for Democratic members to raise concerns to Capitol Police and the Sergeant at Arms. Their concerns were loud enough that the Capitol Police sent out a memo on January 4 reiterating the Capitol Hill policy that banned tours from the spring and completely shut down the Capitol Building on January 6 to only members and those who had offices there.
This story has been updated with additional developments Monday including a new statement from Boebert's office. CNN's Dana Bash and Sarah Westwood contributed to this report.
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Re: Trump lashes out at Gov. Doug Ducey following certificat
by admin » Tue Jan 19, 2021 9:22 am
34 House Democrats call for investigation into Jan. 5 tours by fellow members ahead of attack
Capitol is supposed to be closed to tours
by Katherine Tully-McManus
Roll Call
Posted January 13,2021 at 4:37pm
NOTICE: THIS WORK MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., walks up the House steps for a vote in the Capitol on Sept. 17, 2020. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
Rep. Mikie Sherrill and 33 other House members want an investigation into access given by fellow House lawmakers to visitors to the Capitol on Jan. 5 before the violent attacks on Congress the next day.
The New Jersey Democrat alleged Tuesday night that members of Congress led guests on what she described as “reconnaissance” ahead of the insurrection on Jan. 6.
A letter issued Wednesday asks the acting House sergeant-at-arms, acting Senate sergeant-at-arms, and United States Capitol Police to investigate “suspicious behavior” on Jan. 5 and changes to visitor access.
“The visitors encountered by some of the Members of Congress on this letter appeared to be associated with the rally at the White House the following day,” Sherrill wrote.
The New Jersey Democrat and former Navy pilot first made public her concerns about House members preparing rioters for their siege of the Capitol in a video on Facebook on Tuesday night.
The letter notes that she and other signatories, including former CIA officer Abigail Spanberger, have served in military and intelligence roles and are trained to recognize suspicious activity.
“Members of the group that attacked the Capitol seemed to have an unusually detailed knowledge of the layout of the Capitol Complex. The presence of these groups within the Capitol Complex was indeed suspicious. Given the events of January 6, the ties between these groups inside the Capitol Complex and the attacks on the Capitol need to be investigated,” wrote the lawmakers.
Visitors, official tour groups and almost anyone without a congressional ID have been barred from the Capitol since mid-March, when the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic led congressional leaders to partially close the usually public building.
But members of Congress have been disregarding those strictures to bring in families and friends for small private tours for months, and Capitol Police stationed at entrances typically don’t challenge lawmakers to enforce rules.
The letter asks if there is a database of guests to the Capitol and if SAA staff and Capitol Police require lawmakers to sign in guests upon entry. They also want to know if facial recognition software is in use for visitors entering the Capitol complex.
“The tours being conducted on Tuesday, January 5, were a noticeable and concerning departure from the procedures in place as of March 2020 that limited the number of visitors to the Capitol. These tours were so concerning that they were reported to the Sergeant at Arms on January 5,” Sherrill and others wrote.
Majority Whip James E. Clyburn is not a signatory on the letter, but he has raised questions about how rioters knew some of the most hidden, obscure destinations in the Capitol to target and loot.
Clyburn’s second-floor office, with his name above the door, remained untouched during the destruction and violence last week. But a more private office, which is unmarked on the third floor, was targeted.
“There are many members of the United States Congress right now who could not tell you where that office is and could not find that office if they needed to,” the South Carolina Democrat told MSNBC.
“Yeah, but they found it. Nobody touched the door where my name is,” he said.
He said a thorough investigation is needed, and he questioned how the insurrectionists knew how to find an unmarked office of one of the top members of the House.
The Capitol Police Inspector General has already opened an investigation into the Jan. 6 attack, including officer conduct and potential failures of planning and leadership.
Many questions have been raised about how rioters got so deep into the Capitol without being stopped or apprehended, including looting the Senate chamber and breaking into and posing for pictures in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.
There is also a sprawling federal investigation into the mob that stormed the Capitol. Michael Sherwin, the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, stressed Tuesday that the scope and scale of the probe means it would take months to uncover what happened when thousands of supporters of President Donald Trump surrounded the building and flooded the halls of Congress.
Chris Marquette and Todd Ruger contributed to this report.
Capitol is supposed to be closed to tours
by Katherine Tully-McManus
Roll Call
Posted January 13,2021 at 4:37pm
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Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., walks up the House steps for a vote in the Capitol on Sept. 17, 2020. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)
Rep. Mikie Sherrill and 33 other House members want an investigation into access given by fellow House lawmakers to visitors to the Capitol on Jan. 5 before the violent attacks on Congress the next day.
The New Jersey Democrat alleged Tuesday night that members of Congress led guests on what she described as “reconnaissance” ahead of the insurrection on Jan. 6.
A letter issued Wednesday asks the acting House sergeant-at-arms, acting Senate sergeant-at-arms, and United States Capitol Police to investigate “suspicious behavior” on Jan. 5 and changes to visitor access.
“The visitors encountered by some of the Members of Congress on this letter appeared to be associated with the rally at the White House the following day,” Sherrill wrote.
The New Jersey Democrat and former Navy pilot first made public her concerns about House members preparing rioters for their siege of the Capitol in a video on Facebook on Tuesday night.
The letter notes that she and other signatories, including former CIA officer Abigail Spanberger, have served in military and intelligence roles and are trained to recognize suspicious activity.
“Members of the group that attacked the Capitol seemed to have an unusually detailed knowledge of the layout of the Capitol Complex. The presence of these groups within the Capitol Complex was indeed suspicious. Given the events of January 6, the ties between these groups inside the Capitol Complex and the attacks on the Capitol need to be investigated,” wrote the lawmakers.
Visitors, official tour groups and almost anyone without a congressional ID have been barred from the Capitol since mid-March, when the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic led congressional leaders to partially close the usually public building.
But members of Congress have been disregarding those strictures to bring in families and friends for small private tours for months, and Capitol Police stationed at entrances typically don’t challenge lawmakers to enforce rules.
The letter asks if there is a database of guests to the Capitol and if SAA staff and Capitol Police require lawmakers to sign in guests upon entry. They also want to know if facial recognition software is in use for visitors entering the Capitol complex.
“The tours being conducted on Tuesday, January 5, were a noticeable and concerning departure from the procedures in place as of March 2020 that limited the number of visitors to the Capitol. These tours were so concerning that they were reported to the Sergeant at Arms on January 5,” Sherrill and others wrote.
Majority Whip James E. Clyburn is not a signatory on the letter, but he has raised questions about how rioters knew some of the most hidden, obscure destinations in the Capitol to target and loot.
Clyburn’s second-floor office, with his name above the door, remained untouched during the destruction and violence last week. But a more private office, which is unmarked on the third floor, was targeted.
“There are many members of the United States Congress right now who could not tell you where that office is and could not find that office if they needed to,” the South Carolina Democrat told MSNBC.
“Yeah, but they found it. Nobody touched the door where my name is,” he said.
He said a thorough investigation is needed, and he questioned how the insurrectionists knew how to find an unmarked office of one of the top members of the House.
The Capitol Police Inspector General has already opened an investigation into the Jan. 6 attack, including officer conduct and potential failures of planning and leadership.
Many questions have been raised about how rioters got so deep into the Capitol without being stopped or apprehended, including looting the Senate chamber and breaking into and posing for pictures in Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office.
There is also a sprawling federal investigation into the mob that stormed the Capitol. Michael Sherwin, the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, stressed Tuesday that the scope and scale of the probe means it would take months to uncover what happened when thousands of supporters of President Donald Trump surrounded the building and flooded the halls of Congress.
Chris Marquette and Todd Ruger contributed to this report.
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Re: Trump lashes out at Gov. Doug Ducey following certificat
by admin » Tue Jan 19, 2021 10:00 pm
Republican leader Mitch McConnell: Attack at the Capitol was ‘provoked by the president’
by Christal Hayes
USA TODAY
Published 1:03 p.m. ET Jan. 19 2021 Updated 3:34 p.m. ET Jan. 19, 2021
NOTICE: THIS WORK MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
WASHINGTON – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., issued his most striking condemnation of President Donald Trump after the attack at the U.S. Capitol, saying the mob of protesters were “provoked by the president.”
“The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president and other powerful people, and they tried to use fear and violence,” McConnell said on the Senate floor, casting a clear shot not only at Trump but fellow Republicans who backed the president’s efforts to overturn election results in several swing states.
McConnell publicly split with Trump after the attack, which happened as the House and Senate counted Electoral College votes this month. The Kentucky Republican left open the possibility of convicting Trump at his second impeachment trial, a departure from McConnell's role during Trump's first impeachment in which he worked in concert with the White House to ensure the president was acquitted.
The Senate continues to prepare for Trump's second impeachment trial even though his term will officially end Wednesday when Joe Biden is sworn into office. Constitutional scholars debate whether a former president can be convicted once he has left office.
The House passed one article of impeachment Jan. 13, charging Trump with inciting an insurrection at the Capitol. It passed with the support of 10 Republicans.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who will lead the chamber after Democrats take control Wednesday, said the Senate must move forward on a trial to ensure that the "severest offense ever committed by a president would be met by the severest remedy provided by the Constitution."
"The Senate has the solemn responsibility to try and hold Donald Trump accountable for the most serious charge ever levied against a president: the incitement of an insurrection against the United States of America," Schumer said.
Schumer vowed that the chamber would vote to bar Trump from holding office again, something allowed during an impeachment trial.
Both Senate leaders said Wednesday would usher in a new start in Washington. Schumer noted the chamber would take on COVID-19 relief and address immigration changes in the coming days.
McConnell highlighted the close margins in the House and Senate as a sign that the American people want their leaders to work together.
“There are serious challenges that our nation needs to continue confronting,” McConnell said. “Our marching orders from the American people are clear – we’re to have a robust discussion and seek common ground.”
He said, “We must always keep in mind that we’re all Americans. We all love this country. And we’re all in this together.”
****************************
U.S. Senate Press Gallery
Room S-316 of the U.S. Capitol
(202)224-0241
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
1:07 p.m. Senator Booker paid tribute to USCP Officer Sicknick.
12:51 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke on the attack on the Capitol and paid tribute to his departing chief of staff.
12:39 p.m. Senator Loeffler gave her farewell speech.
12:21 p.m. Senator Schumer spoke on the Inauguration and upcoming Biden Administration nominations.
12:03 p.m. ML McConnell spoke on the attack on the Capitol.
12:02 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke on constituent meetings.
The Senate will convene at 12:00 noon and be in a period of morning business. Votes are not expected today but are still possible.
by Christal Hayes
USA TODAY
Published 1:03 p.m. ET Jan. 19 2021 Updated 3:34 p.m. ET Jan. 19, 2021
NOTICE: THIS WORK MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
YOU ARE REQUIRED TO READ THE COPYRIGHT NOTICE AT THIS LINK BEFORE YOU READ THE FOLLOWING WORK, THAT IS AVAILABLE SOLELY FOR PRIVATE STUDY, SCHOLARSHIP OR RESEARCH PURSUANT TO 17 U.S.C. SECTION 107 AND 108. IN THE EVENT THAT THE LIBRARY DETERMINES THAT UNLAWFUL COPYING OF THIS WORK HAS OCCURRED, THE LIBRARY HAS THE RIGHT TO BLOCK THE I.P. ADDRESS AT WHICH THE UNLAWFUL COPYING APPEARED TO HAVE OCCURRED. THANK YOU FOR RESPECTING THE RIGHTS OF COPYRIGHT OWNERS.
“The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president and other powerful people and they tried to use fear and violence to stop a specific proceeding of the first branch of the federal government which they did not like,” Mr. McConnell said on the Senate floor Tuesday.
WASHINGTON – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., issued his most striking condemnation of President Donald Trump after the attack at the U.S. Capitol, saying the mob of protesters were “provoked by the president.”
“The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president and other powerful people, and they tried to use fear and violence,” McConnell said on the Senate floor, casting a clear shot not only at Trump but fellow Republicans who backed the president’s efforts to overturn election results in several swing states.
McConnell publicly split with Trump after the attack, which happened as the House and Senate counted Electoral College votes this month. The Kentucky Republican left open the possibility of convicting Trump at his second impeachment trial, a departure from McConnell's role during Trump's first impeachment in which he worked in concert with the White House to ensure the president was acquitted.
The Senate continues to prepare for Trump's second impeachment trial even though his term will officially end Wednesday when Joe Biden is sworn into office. Constitutional scholars debate whether a former president can be convicted once he has left office.
The House passed one article of impeachment Jan. 13, charging Trump with inciting an insurrection at the Capitol. It passed with the support of 10 Republicans.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who will lead the chamber after Democrats take control Wednesday, said the Senate must move forward on a trial to ensure that the "severest offense ever committed by a president would be met by the severest remedy provided by the Constitution."
"The Senate has the solemn responsibility to try and hold Donald Trump accountable for the most serious charge ever levied against a president: the incitement of an insurrection against the United States of America," Schumer said.
Schumer vowed that the chamber would vote to bar Trump from holding office again, something allowed during an impeachment trial.
Both Senate leaders said Wednesday would usher in a new start in Washington. Schumer noted the chamber would take on COVID-19 relief and address immigration changes in the coming days.
McConnell highlighted the close margins in the House and Senate as a sign that the American people want their leaders to work together.
“There are serious challenges that our nation needs to continue confronting,” McConnell said. “Our marching orders from the American people are clear – we’re to have a robust discussion and seek common ground.”
He said, “We must always keep in mind that we’re all Americans. We all love this country. And we’re all in this together.”
****************************
U.S. Senate Press Gallery
Room S-316 of the U.S. Capitol
(202)224-0241
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
1:07 p.m. Senator Booker paid tribute to USCP Officer Sicknick.
12:51 p.m. Senator Durbin spoke on the attack on the Capitol and paid tribute to his departing chief of staff.
12:39 p.m. Senator Loeffler gave her farewell speech.
12:21 p.m. Senator Schumer spoke on the Inauguration and upcoming Biden Administration nominations.
12:03 p.m. ML McConnell spoke on the attack on the Capitol.
12:02 p.m. Senator Grassley spoke on constituent meetings.
The Senate will convene at 12:00 noon and be in a period of morning business. Votes are not expected today but are still possible.
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Re: Trump lashes out at Gov. Doug Ducey following certificat
by admin » Wed Jan 20, 2021 2:49 am
Need A Domestic Terrorist? Dial 9-1-1
by Michael Moore
Rumble podcast, Ep. 156
Premiered Jan 17, 2021
by Michael Moore
Rumble podcast, Ep. 156
Premiered Jan 17, 2021
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Re: Trump lashes out at Gov. Doug Ducey following certificat
by admin » Wed Jan 20, 2021 4:04 am
Unpacking The Capitol Riot & Four Years of Trump’s Bulls**t
by Trevor Noah
The Daily Social Distancing Show
Jan 19, 2021
A look at new info coming out of the Capitol riot, at the major figures who waited for a catastrophe to take a stand against Trump, and at the hypocrisy of Republican calls for “unity” in the aftermath. #DailyShow #TrevorNoah #DonaldTrump
by Trevor Noah
The Daily Social Distancing Show
Jan 19, 2021
A look at new info coming out of the Capitol riot, at the major figures who waited for a catastrophe to take a stand against Trump, and at the hypocrisy of Republican calls for “unity” in the aftermath. #DailyShow #TrevorNoah #DonaldTrump
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Re: Trump lashes out at Gov. Doug Ducey following certificat
by admin » Wed Jan 20, 2021 7:41 pm
Rioter planned attack, wanted to trap lawmakers and 'turn on gas': Prosecutors
by Luke Barr
ABC eyewitness news
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 4:45PM
NOTICE: THIS WORK MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
Federal authorities are continuing to charge rioters who took part in the siege on Capitol Hill.
These are the most recent charges:
1st conspiracy charges filed against Virginia man
The Justice Department has filed its first conspiracy charges from the Capitol riot against a Virginia man who they allege was an apparent leader of a group of militia members who were part of the mob that stormed the building.
Thomas Edward Caldwell is identified in an FBI affidavit as a member of the Oath Keepers. An agent alleges that he helped organize a group of eight to 10 of his fellow members to storm the Capitol with the intention of disrupting the counting of the Electoral College vote.
The group can be seen in video walking uniformly through a crowd of rioters trying to gain entrance to the Capitol.
Those members included co-conspirators Jessica Watkins and Donovan Crowl, who were charged for their role in the riots earlier this week. In social media posts, both Crowl and Watkins referred to Caldwell as "Commander," according to the court documents.
While inside the Capitol, Caldwell allegedly received Facebook messages telling him to "seal" in lawmakers in the tunnels under the Capitol and to "turn on gas." Other messages appeared to be trying to give him updates on the locations of lawmakers, the affidavit states.
Other texts reveal the extensive planning and even potential attacks that he and other members of the Oath Keepers were mounting leading up to the riots.
On Jan. 1, Caldwell allegedly messaged an individual recommending a room at the Comfort Inn Ballston in Arlington, Virginia, saying, "This is a good location and would allow us to hunt at night if we wanted to."
After the riot, Caldwell allegedly posted a Facebook message stating, "Us storming the castle. Please share. Sharon was right with me! I am such an instigator!" the affidavit states. He later wrote, "We need to do this at the local level. Lets storm the capitol in Ohio. Tell me when!"
Man seen wearing 'Murder the Media' shirt
A rioter who posed in front of the U.S. Capitol while wearing a shirt with the words "Murder the Media" emblazoned on it has been charged with illegally entering the Capitol. The phrase had also been etched onto a door inside the building, according to federal court documents.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Nicholas DeCarlo admitted that he entered the Capitol, but said he did so as a "journalist."
The charging documents against DeCarlo state that he is not on record as a credited journalist.
Rioter seen attacking police with a bat
A man who was captured on surveillance video attacking law enforcement with a bat at the entrance of the Capitol turned himself in to the Metropolitan Police Department on Monday.
Emanuel Jackson is allegedly the rioter seen in photos the FBI released to the public, according to federal court documents.
On the surveillance video, Jackson is allegedly seen making a fist and repeatedly striking a Capitol police officer while attempting to force himself into the building, his arrest affidavit states.
Later, he is "clearly observed" with a metal baseball bat striking a group of both Capitol and D.C. police officers, according to the court document.
It is unclear whether Jackson has retained an attorney.
Houston police officer
A longtime Houston Police officer who resigned after he participated in the riot has been federally changed.
Tam Dinh Pham initially denied his involvement in the siege when he was interviewed at his home in Richmond on Jan. 12, according to court documents.
After the interview, Pham agreed to hand over his cellphone, which investigators noticed had no photos from Jan. 6, the affidavit states. However, the "Deleted Items" folder contained photos and images of him inside the Capitol building.
When agents advised Pham that it is illegal to lie to the FBI, he admitted that he was part of the crowd that stormed into the Capitol but denied taking part in any violence, according to the court documents.
Woman in Louis Vuitton sweater
A woman has been charged for participating in the riot after at least six people identified her by the Louis Vuitton sweater she was wearing that day.
In one video, Gina Bisignano allegedly was seen taking part in a skirmish with police trying to protect the Capitol building, according to an FBI affidavit.
Bisignano was allegedly part of a crowd that crushed a screaming police officer while a rioter grabbed his gas mask. At one point, Bisignano allegedly told the officer, "You hurt my f------ leg," the court documents state.
In a separate video, Bisignano is allegedly seen feet away from police, telling them to stand down.
"We the people are not going to take it any more," she could be heard saying in another video, according to the affidavit. "You are not going to take away our votes. And our freedom, and I thank God for it. This is 1776, and we the people will never give up. We will never let our country go to the globalists."
After entering the Capitol, Bisignano was allegedly heard telling other rioters, "We need Americans. Come on guys. We needs patriots! You guys, it's the way in. We need some people."
2 Texas rioters, including a former Marine, accused of violence
Two Texas men have both been arrested over their roles in the violence at the Capitol, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.
Ryan Nichols and Alex Harkrider were identified from photos they posted to their social media accounts, along with several threatening messages calling for a violent overthrow of the government, according to an arrest affidavit.
In one video posted online, Nichols, a former Marine, can allegedly be seen yelling into a bullhorn in the direction of a large crowd, saying, "If you have a weapon, you need to get your weapon!" the federal court document states.
Nichols also allegedly said "This is the second revolution right here folks!" and "This is not a peaceful protest," according to the affidavit.
Both Nichols, 30, and Harkrider, 33, are seen in videos trying to force entry into the building, with Nichols allegedly spraying what appears to be a large canister of pepper spray in the direction of officers. Nichols was also allegedly in possession of a crowbar, the court document states.
The FBI also noted several other social posts from Nichols, including one on Dec. 24 that showed a bullet and stated, "By Bullet or Ballot, Restoration of the Republic is Coming," according to the affidavit. Another post on Dec. 28 stated, "Pence better do the right thing, or we're going to MAKE you do the right thing."
Nichols was once featured on "The Ellen Degeneres Show" in 2018 after he drove 18 hours to rescue dogs before Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina.
It is unclear whether Nichols and Harkrider have retained attorneys.
Member of extremist group Three Percenters
Robert Gieswein -- part of the Oath-keepers, an extremist group related to The Three Percenters -- was charged with assaulting a federal officer with bear spray and a baseball bat.
According to court documents, Gieswein "encouraged other rioters as they broke a window of the Capitol building; entered ... and then charged through the Capitol building."
An FBI affidavit confirmed that Gieswein runs a private paramilitary training group called the Woodland Wild Dogs and that he was identified from a patch for that group that was visible on a tactical vest he wore during the attack on Congress.
The affidavit said Gieswein gave a media interview echoing anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and that Congress needs "to get the corrupt politicians out of office. Pelosi, the Clintons ... every single one of them, Biden, Kamala."
Retired NYFD firefighter
Freeport, New York, resident Thomas Fee surrendered to the FBI Tuesday morning at the bureau's resident agency on Long Island.
Fee, a retired NYFD firefighter, allegedly sent a relative of his girlfriend a selfie of himself inside the Capitol, prosecutors said. He's been charged by authorities.
In the text message, Fee, 53, allegedly wrote that he was "at the tip of the spear," a reference to the Capitol rotunda, according to the court documents.
Fee drove to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, and a license plate reader in New York picked up the Chevy Tahoe he was driving upon his return on Jan. 7, the court documents state.
At his court appearance Tuesday, a judge ordered Fee to avoid all political gatherings and to avoid the U.S. Capitol and all state capitols upon his release. He must also surrender his two guns -- a pistol grip shotgun and an antique rifle.
Federal prosecutors also recommended evaluation and treatment for substance abuse and mental health treatment.
Fee posted his home as collateral for her $100,000 bond.
It is unclear whether Fee has retained an attorney.
Former FIT student
Nicholas Moncada, a 20-year-old former student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, was taken into custody at his Staten Island home Monday. He allegedly livestreamed his "storming" of the Capitol on Jan. 6, prosecutors said.
Moncada allegedly also posted a selfie of himself inside the Capitol, captioning it, "Outside Pelosi's office."
He was recognized by fellow FIT students, who then alerted the FBI to his involvement, according to the court documents.
During an appearance in a Brooklyn federal court Tuesday, Moncada was ordered to stay away from potentially antagonizing political events and speech after his release on $250,000 bond. His travel is also restricted to New York and Washington, D.C.
"There's obviously troubling conduct here," Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kessler said, though he noted the government did not object to Moncada's release on bond.
The bond was signed by Moncada's mother, grandmother and aunt.
Moncada was an illustration major, but had not been enrolled at the school since May 2020 and did not receive a degree, a spokesperson for FIT told ABC News.
In a statement to ABC News Monday, Moncada's attorney, Mario Gallucci, said he is not facing any violent charges.
"Mr. Moncada was taken into custody this morning by the FBI and has been charged with various sections of the United States Code for trespassing inside a restricted building and trying to disrupt or impeded the conduct of Government business, as well as, trespassing on the floor of various Government rooms including the House of Congress, the lobby adjacent to the floor and the Rayburn Room of the House of Congress," Galluci said. "I do not believe he is being charged with committing any acts of violence. Mr. Moncada denies any participation in the effort to overthrow the Government, and he looks forward to defending his good name."
Dozens of rioters who participated in the siege have already been taken into custody.
Last week, the man seen wearing a "Camp Auschwitz" hoodie, Olympic gold medalist swimmer Klete Keller and several members of law enforcement were arrested in connection to the riot.
by Luke Barr
ABC eyewitness news
Tuesday, January 19, 2021 4:45PM
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Federal authorities are continuing to charge rioters who took part in the siege on Capitol Hill.
These are the most recent charges:
1st conspiracy charges filed against Virginia man
The Justice Department has filed its first conspiracy charges from the Capitol riot against a Virginia man who they allege was an apparent leader of a group of militia members who were part of the mob that stormed the building.
Thomas Edward Caldwell is identified in an FBI affidavit as a member of the Oath Keepers. An agent alleges that he helped organize a group of eight to 10 of his fellow members to storm the Capitol with the intention of disrupting the counting of the Electoral College vote.
The group can be seen in video walking uniformly through a crowd of rioters trying to gain entrance to the Capitol.
Those members included co-conspirators Jessica Watkins and Donovan Crowl, who were charged for their role in the riots earlier this week. In social media posts, both Crowl and Watkins referred to Caldwell as "Commander," according to the court documents.
While inside the Capitol, Caldwell allegedly received Facebook messages telling him to "seal" in lawmakers in the tunnels under the Capitol and to "turn on gas." Other messages appeared to be trying to give him updates on the locations of lawmakers, the affidavit states.
Other texts reveal the extensive planning and even potential attacks that he and other members of the Oath Keepers were mounting leading up to the riots.
On Jan. 1, Caldwell allegedly messaged an individual recommending a room at the Comfort Inn Ballston in Arlington, Virginia, saying, "This is a good location and would allow us to hunt at night if we wanted to."
After the riot, Caldwell allegedly posted a Facebook message stating, "Us storming the castle. Please share. Sharon was right with me! I am such an instigator!" the affidavit states. He later wrote, "We need to do this at the local level. Lets storm the capitol in Ohio. Tell me when!"
Man seen wearing 'Murder the Media' shirt
A rioter who posed in front of the U.S. Capitol while wearing a shirt with the words "Murder the Media" emblazoned on it has been charged with illegally entering the Capitol. The phrase had also been etched onto a door inside the building, according to federal court documents.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Nicholas DeCarlo admitted that he entered the Capitol, but said he did so as a "journalist."
The charging documents against DeCarlo state that he is not on record as a credited journalist.
Rioter seen attacking police with a bat
A man who was captured on surveillance video attacking law enforcement with a bat at the entrance of the Capitol turned himself in to the Metropolitan Police Department on Monday.
Emanuel Jackson is allegedly the rioter seen in photos the FBI released to the public, according to federal court documents.
On the surveillance video, Jackson is allegedly seen making a fist and repeatedly striking a Capitol police officer while attempting to force himself into the building, his arrest affidavit states.
Later, he is "clearly observed" with a metal baseball bat striking a group of both Capitol and D.C. police officers, according to the court document.
It is unclear whether Jackson has retained an attorney.
Houston police officer
A longtime Houston Police officer who resigned after he participated in the riot has been federally changed.
Tam Dinh Pham initially denied his involvement in the siege when he was interviewed at his home in Richmond on Jan. 12, according to court documents.
After the interview, Pham agreed to hand over his cellphone, which investigators noticed had no photos from Jan. 6, the affidavit states. However, the "Deleted Items" folder contained photos and images of him inside the Capitol building.
When agents advised Pham that it is illegal to lie to the FBI, he admitted that he was part of the crowd that stormed into the Capitol but denied taking part in any violence, according to the court documents.
Woman in Louis Vuitton sweater
A woman has been charged for participating in the riot after at least six people identified her by the Louis Vuitton sweater she was wearing that day.
In one video, Gina Bisignano allegedly was seen taking part in a skirmish with police trying to protect the Capitol building, according to an FBI affidavit.
Bisignano was allegedly part of a crowd that crushed a screaming police officer while a rioter grabbed his gas mask. At one point, Bisignano allegedly told the officer, "You hurt my f------ leg," the court documents state.
In a separate video, Bisignano is allegedly seen feet away from police, telling them to stand down.
"We the people are not going to take it any more," she could be heard saying in another video, according to the affidavit. "You are not going to take away our votes. And our freedom, and I thank God for it. This is 1776, and we the people will never give up. We will never let our country go to the globalists."
After entering the Capitol, Bisignano was allegedly heard telling other rioters, "We need Americans. Come on guys. We needs patriots! You guys, it's the way in. We need some people."
2 Texas rioters, including a former Marine, accused of violence
Two Texas men have both been arrested over their roles in the violence at the Capitol, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.
Ryan Nichols and Alex Harkrider were identified from photos they posted to their social media accounts, along with several threatening messages calling for a violent overthrow of the government, according to an arrest affidavit.
In one video posted online, Nichols, a former Marine, can allegedly be seen yelling into a bullhorn in the direction of a large crowd, saying, "If you have a weapon, you need to get your weapon!" the federal court document states.
Nichols also allegedly said "This is the second revolution right here folks!" and "This is not a peaceful protest," according to the affidavit.
Both Nichols, 30, and Harkrider, 33, are seen in videos trying to force entry into the building, with Nichols allegedly spraying what appears to be a large canister of pepper spray in the direction of officers. Nichols was also allegedly in possession of a crowbar, the court document states.
The FBI also noted several other social posts from Nichols, including one on Dec. 24 that showed a bullet and stated, "By Bullet or Ballot, Restoration of the Republic is Coming," according to the affidavit. Another post on Dec. 28 stated, "Pence better do the right thing, or we're going to MAKE you do the right thing."
Nichols was once featured on "The Ellen Degeneres Show" in 2018 after he drove 18 hours to rescue dogs before Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina.
It is unclear whether Nichols and Harkrider have retained attorneys.
Member of extremist group Three Percenters
Robert Gieswein -- part of the Oath-keepers, an extremist group related to The Three Percenters -- was charged with assaulting a federal officer with bear spray and a baseball bat.
According to court documents, Gieswein "encouraged other rioters as they broke a window of the Capitol building; entered ... and then charged through the Capitol building."
An FBI affidavit confirmed that Gieswein runs a private paramilitary training group called the Woodland Wild Dogs and that he was identified from a patch for that group that was visible on a tactical vest he wore during the attack on Congress.
The affidavit said Gieswein gave a media interview echoing anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and that Congress needs "to get the corrupt politicians out of office. Pelosi, the Clintons ... every single one of them, Biden, Kamala."
Retired NYFD firefighter
Freeport, New York, resident Thomas Fee surrendered to the FBI Tuesday morning at the bureau's resident agency on Long Island.
Fee, a retired NYFD firefighter, allegedly sent a relative of his girlfriend a selfie of himself inside the Capitol, prosecutors said. He's been charged by authorities.
In the text message, Fee, 53, allegedly wrote that he was "at the tip of the spear," a reference to the Capitol rotunda, according to the court documents.
Fee drove to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 5, and a license plate reader in New York picked up the Chevy Tahoe he was driving upon his return on Jan. 7, the court documents state.
At his court appearance Tuesday, a judge ordered Fee to avoid all political gatherings and to avoid the U.S. Capitol and all state capitols upon his release. He must also surrender his two guns -- a pistol grip shotgun and an antique rifle.
Federal prosecutors also recommended evaluation and treatment for substance abuse and mental health treatment.
Fee posted his home as collateral for her $100,000 bond.
It is unclear whether Fee has retained an attorney.
Former FIT student
Nicholas Moncada, a 20-year-old former student at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan, was taken into custody at his Staten Island home Monday. He allegedly livestreamed his "storming" of the Capitol on Jan. 6, prosecutors said.
Moncada allegedly also posted a selfie of himself inside the Capitol, captioning it, "Outside Pelosi's office."
He was recognized by fellow FIT students, who then alerted the FBI to his involvement, according to the court documents.
During an appearance in a Brooklyn federal court Tuesday, Moncada was ordered to stay away from potentially antagonizing political events and speech after his release on $250,000 bond. His travel is also restricted to New York and Washington, D.C.
"There's obviously troubling conduct here," Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kessler said, though he noted the government did not object to Moncada's release on bond.
The bond was signed by Moncada's mother, grandmother and aunt.
Moncada was an illustration major, but had not been enrolled at the school since May 2020 and did not receive a degree, a spokesperson for FIT told ABC News.
In a statement to ABC News Monday, Moncada's attorney, Mario Gallucci, said he is not facing any violent charges.
"Mr. Moncada was taken into custody this morning by the FBI and has been charged with various sections of the United States Code for trespassing inside a restricted building and trying to disrupt or impeded the conduct of Government business, as well as, trespassing on the floor of various Government rooms including the House of Congress, the lobby adjacent to the floor and the Rayburn Room of the House of Congress," Galluci said. "I do not believe he is being charged with committing any acts of violence. Mr. Moncada denies any participation in the effort to overthrow the Government, and he looks forward to defending his good name."
Dozens of rioters who participated in the siege have already been taken into custody.
Last week, the man seen wearing a "Camp Auschwitz" hoodie, Olympic gold medalist swimmer Klete Keller and several members of law enforcement were arrested in connection to the riot.
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Re: Trump lashes out at Gov. Doug Ducey following certificat
by admin » Wed Jan 20, 2021 8:08 pm
Trump bids farewell to Washington: 'We will be back in some form'
by Jill Colvin
Associated Press
JAN 20, 2021 5:28 AM
NOTICE: THIS WORK MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
WASHINGTON — WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — His presidency over, Donald Trump said farewell to Washington on Wednesday but also hinted about a comeback despite a legacy of chaos, tumult and bitter divisions in the country he led for four years.
“So just a goodbye. We love you,” Trump told supporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland where he walked across a red carpet and boarded Air Force One to head to Florida. “We will be back in some form.”
Trump departed office as the only president ever impeached twice, and with millions more out of work than when he was sworn in and 400,000 dead from the coronavirus. Under his watch, Republicans lost the presidency and both chambers of Congress. He will be forever remembered for inciting an insurrection, two weeks before Democrat Joe Biden moved into the White House, at the Capitol that left five dead, including a Capitol Police officer, and horrified the nation. It was on Trump’s on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2017, that he had painted a dire picture of “American carnage.”
The first president in modern history to boycott his successor’s inauguration, Trump is still stewing about his loss and maintains that election won by Biden was stolen from him. Republican officials in several critical states, members of his own administration and a wide swath of judges, including those appointed by Trump, have rejected those arguments.
Trump refused to participate in any of the symbolic passing-of-the-torch traditions surrounding the peaceful transition of power, including inviting the Joe and Jill Biden to the White House for a get-to-know-you visit.
He did follow at least one tradition: The White House said Trump left behind a note for Biden. A Trump spokesman, Judd Deere, declined to say what Trump wrote or characterize the sentiment in the note, citing privacy for communication between presidents.
Members of Trump’s family gathered for the send-off on the military base along with the president’s loyalists, who chanted “We love you!” “Thank you, Trump” and “U.S.A.” Four Army cannons fired a 21-gun salute.
Speaking without notes, Trump said his presidency was an “incredible four years.” He told the crowd that he and first lady Melania Trump loved them and praised his family for its hard work, saying they could have chosen to have an easier life.
“It’s been something very special. We’ve accomplished a lot,” Trump said, citing the installation of conservative judges, creation of the space force, development of coronavirus vaccines and management of a robust pre-pandemic economy. “I hope they don’t raise your taxes, but if they do, I told you so,” he said of the incoming Biden administration.
He acknowledged that his was not a “regular administration” and told his backers that he would be returning in some form. He said the Trump campaign had worked so hard: “We’ve left it all on the field,” he said.
Without mention’s Biden’s name, Trump wished the new administration great luck and success, which he said would made easier because he had laid “a foundation.”
“I will always fight for you,” he told the crowd. “I will be watching. I will be listening.”
Before arriving at the airport, Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House that being president had been the honor of his lifetime.
“We love the American people, and again, it has been something very special,” he said over the sound of the Marine One helicopter. “And I just want to say goodbye but hopefully it’s not a long-term goodbye. We’ll see each other again.”
Trump and first lady Melania Trump landed in Florida a more than an hour before Biden was to be sworn in as the 46th U.S. president. Air Force One flew low along the Florida coast as Biden’s inauguration ceremony flashed across televisions on board. A loud cheer went up from the crowd awaiting his arrival when the plane made a low approach to Palm Beach International Airport as the “Star-Spangled Banner” played over loudspeakers.
Several hundred supporters lined his limousine route to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. It had a party atmosphere. Trump and American flags waved, with many supporters wearing red, white and blue clothing.
Shari Ackerly parked her three-wheeled motorcycle along the road, painted with red, white and blue stripes and “Trump - Make America Great.” A Trump-Pence campaign sign laid against the headrest, the vice president’s name crossed out.
Ackerly said she wanted to show her support for Trump, saying she supported him since he gave Sen. Ted Cruz the nickname “Lyin’ Ted” in the 2016 Republican debates. “He told it like it is,” she said.
In Florida, he will face an uncertain future.
Aides had urged Trump to spend his final days in office trying to salvage his legacy by highlighting his administration’s achievements — tax cuts, scaled-back federal regulations, normalizing relations in the Middle East. But Trump largely refused, taking a single trip to the Texas border and releasing a video in which he pledged to his supporters that “the movement we started is only just beginning.” In his final hours, Trump issued pardons for more than 140 people, including his former strategist, rap performers, ex-members of Congress and other allies of him and his family.
Trump will be in Florida with a small group of former White House aides as he charts a political future that looks very different now from just two weeks ago.
Before the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, Trump had been expected to remain his party’s de facto leader, wielding enormous power as he served as a kingmaker and mulled a 2024 presidential run. But now he appears more powerless than ever — shunned by so many in his party, impeached twice, denied the Twitter bullhorn he had intended to use as his weapon and even facing the prospect that, if he is convicted in his Senate trial, he could be barred from seeking a second term.
For now, Trump remains angry and embarrassed, consumed with rage and grievance. He spent the week after the election sinking deeper and deeper into a world of conspiracy, and those who have spoken with him say he continues to believe he won in November. He has lashed out at Republicans for perceived disloyalty and has threatened, both publicly and privately, to spend the coming years backing primary challenges against those he feel betrayed him.
Some expect him to eventually turn completely on the Republican Party, perhaps by flirting with a run as a third-party candidate as an act of revenge.
For all the chaos and drama and bending the world to his will, Trump ended his term as he began it: largely alone. The Republican Party he co-opted finally appeared to have had enough after Trump’s supporters violently stormed the Capitol, hunting for lawmakers who refused to go along with Trump’s unconstitutional efforts to overturn the results of a democratic election.
White House cleaning crews worked overnight Wednesday and were still going as the sun rose to get the building cleaned and ready for its new occupants. Most walls were stripped down to the hooks that once held photographs, and offices were devoid of the clutter and trinkets that gave them life.
While Trump has left the White House, he retains his grip on the Republican base, with the support of millions of loyal voters, along with allies still helming the Republican National Committee and many state party organizations.
The city he leaves will not miss him. Trump rarely left the confines of the White House, except to visit his own hotel. He and his wife never once ate dinner at any other local restaurant and never ventured out to shop in its stores or see the sites. When he did leave, it was almost always to one of his properties: his golf course in Virginia, his golf course in New Jersey, his private club and nearby golf course in Palm Beach, Florida.
The city overwhelmingly supported Biden, with 93% of the vote. Trump received just 5.4% of the vote — or fewer than 18,600 ballots — not enough to fill the Washington Capitals hockey arena.
Associated Press writer Darlene Superville and Deb Riechmann in Washington and Terry Spencer in West Palm Beach, Florida contributed to this report.
First Published January 20, 2021, 5:28am
****************************
CNN describes crowd at Trump's departure as 'the smallest' of his presidency
by John L. Dorman
Business Insider
1/20/21
• President Donald Trump was met with a small farewell crowd at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday.
• CNN's Jim Acosta said it was "definitely the smallest crowd size of the Trump presidency."
• Trump boasted throughout his presidency of crowd sizes at his rallies.
After departing the White House for his last time in office, President Donald Trump gave a farewell speech at Joint Base Andrews that conspicuously lacked one thing he has long craved: large crowds.
The small crowd greeting the president and the first lady was a far cry from the raucous rallies that defined his turbulent presidency.
Those who attended the brief event, including many of Trump's family members, waved flags and cheered as Trump spoke.
CNN's Jim Acosta described it as "definitely the smallest crowd size of the Trump presidency," a remark that could be seen as a dig at Trump's constant attention to crowd size.
The tone for his presidency was set in part by a combative news conference in which his first press secretary, Sean Spicer, made false claims about the size of the crowd at Trump's inauguration.
by Jill Colvin
Associated Press
JAN 20, 2021 5:28 AM
NOTICE: THIS WORK MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
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Only a few hundred people showed up to see him depart.
-- As Trump Exits Washington, He Tells Modest Crowd "We Will be Back in Some Form", by Washington Post
WASHINGTON — WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — His presidency over, Donald Trump said farewell to Washington on Wednesday but also hinted about a comeback despite a legacy of chaos, tumult and bitter divisions in the country he led for four years.
“So just a goodbye. We love you,” Trump told supporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland where he walked across a red carpet and boarded Air Force One to head to Florida. “We will be back in some form.”
Trump departed office as the only president ever impeached twice, and with millions more out of work than when he was sworn in and 400,000 dead from the coronavirus. Under his watch, Republicans lost the presidency and both chambers of Congress. He will be forever remembered for inciting an insurrection, two weeks before Democrat Joe Biden moved into the White House, at the Capitol that left five dead, including a Capitol Police officer, and horrified the nation. It was on Trump’s on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2017, that he had painted a dire picture of “American carnage.”
The first president in modern history to boycott his successor’s inauguration, Trump is still stewing about his loss and maintains that election won by Biden was stolen from him. Republican officials in several critical states, members of his own administration and a wide swath of judges, including those appointed by Trump, have rejected those arguments.
Trump refused to participate in any of the symbolic passing-of-the-torch traditions surrounding the peaceful transition of power, including inviting the Joe and Jill Biden to the White House for a get-to-know-you visit.
He did follow at least one tradition: The White House said Trump left behind a note for Biden. A Trump spokesman, Judd Deere, declined to say what Trump wrote or characterize the sentiment in the note, citing privacy for communication between presidents.
Members of Trump’s family gathered for the send-off on the military base along with the president’s loyalists, who chanted “We love you!” “Thank you, Trump” and “U.S.A.” Four Army cannons fired a 21-gun salute.
Speaking without notes, Trump said his presidency was an “incredible four years.” He told the crowd that he and first lady Melania Trump loved them and praised his family for its hard work, saying they could have chosen to have an easier life.
“It’s been something very special. We’ve accomplished a lot,” Trump said, citing the installation of conservative judges, creation of the space force, development of coronavirus vaccines and management of a robust pre-pandemic economy. “I hope they don’t raise your taxes, but if they do, I told you so,” he said of the incoming Biden administration.
He acknowledged that his was not a “regular administration” and told his backers that he would be returning in some form. He said the Trump campaign had worked so hard: “We’ve left it all on the field,” he said.
Without mention’s Biden’s name, Trump wished the new administration great luck and success, which he said would made easier because he had laid “a foundation.”
“I will always fight for you,” he told the crowd. “I will be watching. I will be listening.”
Before arriving at the airport, Trump told reporters on the South Lawn of the White House that being president had been the honor of his lifetime.
“We love the American people, and again, it has been something very special,” he said over the sound of the Marine One helicopter. “And I just want to say goodbye but hopefully it’s not a long-term goodbye. We’ll see each other again.”
Trump and first lady Melania Trump landed in Florida a more than an hour before Biden was to be sworn in as the 46th U.S. president. Air Force One flew low along the Florida coast as Biden’s inauguration ceremony flashed across televisions on board. A loud cheer went up from the crowd awaiting his arrival when the plane made a low approach to Palm Beach International Airport as the “Star-Spangled Banner” played over loudspeakers.
Several hundred supporters lined his limousine route to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club. It had a party atmosphere. Trump and American flags waved, with many supporters wearing red, white and blue clothing.
Shari Ackerly parked her three-wheeled motorcycle along the road, painted with red, white and blue stripes and “Trump - Make America Great.” A Trump-Pence campaign sign laid against the headrest, the vice president’s name crossed out.
Ackerly said she wanted to show her support for Trump, saying she supported him since he gave Sen. Ted Cruz the nickname “Lyin’ Ted” in the 2016 Republican debates. “He told it like it is,” she said.
In Florida, he will face an uncertain future.
Aides had urged Trump to spend his final days in office trying to salvage his legacy by highlighting his administration’s achievements — tax cuts, scaled-back federal regulations, normalizing relations in the Middle East. But Trump largely refused, taking a single trip to the Texas border and releasing a video in which he pledged to his supporters that “the movement we started is only just beginning.” In his final hours, Trump issued pardons for more than 140 people, including his former strategist, rap performers, ex-members of Congress and other allies of him and his family.
Trump will be in Florida with a small group of former White House aides as he charts a political future that looks very different now from just two weeks ago.
Before the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, Trump had been expected to remain his party’s de facto leader, wielding enormous power as he served as a kingmaker and mulled a 2024 presidential run. But now he appears more powerless than ever — shunned by so many in his party, impeached twice, denied the Twitter bullhorn he had intended to use as his weapon and even facing the prospect that, if he is convicted in his Senate trial, he could be barred from seeking a second term.
For now, Trump remains angry and embarrassed, consumed with rage and grievance. He spent the week after the election sinking deeper and deeper into a world of conspiracy, and those who have spoken with him say he continues to believe he won in November. He has lashed out at Republicans for perceived disloyalty and has threatened, both publicly and privately, to spend the coming years backing primary challenges against those he feel betrayed him.
Some expect him to eventually turn completely on the Republican Party, perhaps by flirting with a run as a third-party candidate as an act of revenge.
For all the chaos and drama and bending the world to his will, Trump ended his term as he began it: largely alone. The Republican Party he co-opted finally appeared to have had enough after Trump’s supporters violently stormed the Capitol, hunting for lawmakers who refused to go along with Trump’s unconstitutional efforts to overturn the results of a democratic election.
White House cleaning crews worked overnight Wednesday and were still going as the sun rose to get the building cleaned and ready for its new occupants. Most walls were stripped down to the hooks that once held photographs, and offices were devoid of the clutter and trinkets that gave them life.
While Trump has left the White House, he retains his grip on the Republican base, with the support of millions of loyal voters, along with allies still helming the Republican National Committee and many state party organizations.
The city he leaves will not miss him. Trump rarely left the confines of the White House, except to visit his own hotel. He and his wife never once ate dinner at any other local restaurant and never ventured out to shop in its stores or see the sites. When he did leave, it was almost always to one of his properties: his golf course in Virginia, his golf course in New Jersey, his private club and nearby golf course in Palm Beach, Florida.
The city overwhelmingly supported Biden, with 93% of the vote. Trump received just 5.4% of the vote — or fewer than 18,600 ballots — not enough to fill the Washington Capitals hockey arena.
Associated Press writer Darlene Superville and Deb Riechmann in Washington and Terry Spencer in West Palm Beach, Florida contributed to this report.
First Published January 20, 2021, 5:28am
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CNN describes crowd at Trump's departure as 'the smallest' of his presidency
by John L. Dorman
Business Insider
1/20/21
• President Donald Trump was met with a small farewell crowd at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday.
• CNN's Jim Acosta said it was "definitely the smallest crowd size of the Trump presidency."
• Trump boasted throughout his presidency of crowd sizes at his rallies.
After departing the White House for his last time in office, President Donald Trump gave a farewell speech at Joint Base Andrews that conspicuously lacked one thing he has long craved: large crowds.
The small crowd greeting the president and the first lady was a far cry from the raucous rallies that defined his turbulent presidency.
Those who attended the brief event, including many of Trump's family members, waved flags and cheered as Trump spoke.
CNN's Jim Acosta described it as "definitely the smallest crowd size of the Trump presidency," a remark that could be seen as a dig at Trump's constant attention to crowd size.
The tone for his presidency was set in part by a combative news conference in which his first press secretary, Sean Spicer, made false claims about the size of the crowd at Trump's inauguration.
Trump inauguration crowd photos were edited after he intervened: documents released to Guardian reveal government photographer cropped space ‘where crowd ended’
by Jon Swaine in New York @jonswaine
The Guardian
Thu 6 Sep 2018 06.00 EDT
A combination of photos shows the crowds attending the inauguration ceremonies of Donald Trump, left, and Barack Obama. These pictures were taken by Reuters, and were not the edited NPS images. Photograph: Staff/Reuters
A government photographer edited official pictures of Donald Trump’s inauguration to make the crowd appear bigger following a personal intervention from the president, according to newly released documents.
The photographer cropped out empty space “where the crowd ended” for a new set of pictures requested by Trump on the first morning of his presidency, after he was angered by images showing his audience was smaller than Barack Obama’s in 2009.
The detail was revealed in investigative reports released to the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act by the inspector general of the US interior department. They shed new light on the first self-inflicted crisis of Trump’s presidency, when his White House falsely claimed he had attracted the biggest ever inauguration audience.
The records detail a scramble within the National Park Service (NPS) on 21 January 2017 after an early-morning phone call between Trump and the acting NPS director, Michael Reynolds. They also state that Sean Spicer, then White House press secretary, called NPS officials repeatedly that day in pursuit of the more flattering photographs.
It was not clear from the records which photographs were edited and whether they were released publicly.
The newly disclosed details were not included in the inspector general’s office’s final report on its inquiry into the saga, which was published in June last year and gave a different account of the NPS photographer’s actions.
By the time Trump spoke on the telephone with Reynolds on the morning after the inauguration, then-and-now pictures of the national mall were circulating online showing that Trump’s crowd fell short of Obama’s. A reporter’s tweet containing one such pair of images was retweeted by the official NPS Twitter account.
An NPS communications official, whose name was redacted in the released files, told investigators that Reynolds called her after speaking with the president and said Trump wanted pictures from the inauguration. She said “she got the impression that President Trump wanted to see pictures that appeared to depict more spectators in the crowd”, and that the images released so far showed “a lot of empty areas”.
Sean Spicer delivers a statement on 21 January 2017 while a television screen shows a picture of Trump’s inauguration. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters
The communications official said she “assumed” the photographs Trump was requesting “needed to be cropped”, but that Reynolds did not ask for this specifically. She then contacted the NPS photographer who had covered the event the day before.
A second official, from the NPS public affairs department, told investigators that Spicer called her office on the morning of 21 January and asked for pictures that “accurately represented the inauguration crowd size”.
In this official’s view, Spicer’s request amounted to “a request for NPS to provide photographs in which it appeared the inauguration crowd filled the majority of the space in the photograph”. She told investigators that she, too, contacted the NPS photographer to ask for additional shots.
The NPS photographer, whose name was also redacted, told investigators he was contacted by an unidentified official who asked for “any photographs that showed the inauguration crowd sizes”. Having filed 25 photographs on inauguration day, he was asked to go back to his office and “edit a few more” for a second submission.
“He said he edited the inauguration photographs to make them look more symmetrical by cropping out the sky and cropping out the bottom where the crowd ended,” the investigators reported, adding: “He said he did so to show that there had been more of a crowd.”
The investigators said the photographer believed the cropping was what the official “had wanted him to do”, but that the official “had not specifically asked him to crop the photographs to show more of a crowd”.
A summary in the inspector general’s final report said the photographer told investigators “he selected a number of photos, based on his professional judgment, that concentrated on the area of the national mall where most of the crowd was standing”.
Asked to account for the discrepancy, Nancy DiPaolo, a spokeswoman for the inspector general, said the cropping was not mentioned in the final report because the photographer told investigators this was his “standard artistic practice”. But investigators did not note this in the write-up of their interview.
The newly released files said Spicer was closely involved in the effort to obtain more favourable photographs. He called Reynolds immediately after the acting director spoke with Trump and then again at 3pm shortly before the new set of photographs was sent to the White House, investigators heard. Another official reported being called by Spicer.
At about 5.40pm that day, Spicer began a now notorious press briefing at the White House in which he falsely stated: “This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration – period.” A spokeswoman for Spicer did not respond to a request for comment.
The inspector general’s inquiry was prompted by a February 2017 complaint through the office’s website, alleging NPS officials tried to undermine Trump and leaked details of Trump’s call with Reynolds to the Washington Post, where it was first reported. The inspector general found no evidence to substantiate the allegations.
The Guardian asked in its June 2017 freedom of information request for the identity of the complainant who sparked the inspector general’s inquiry. But this, and the entire complaint, was redacted in the released documents.
Jim Acosta
@Acosta
Definitely the smallest crowd size of the Trump presidency at the departure ceremony.
6:44 AM Jan 20, 2021
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